Attempt to thaw pipes sparks Aurora house fire

An attempt to thaw frozen pipes sparked a fire Sunday morning that gutted an Aurora home, displaced seven residents and injured a firefighter.

Aurora firefighters were called to the two-story single-family home in the 400 block of Pierce Street at 10:54 a.m. after a resident called 911, officials said.

The resident told fire officials he was using a propane heater to thaw frozen pipes in the home's basement when the fire began. He tried to put out the flames himself before calling 911, authorities said.

The five people inside the home at the time were able to safely evacuate. A total of seven residents who lived in the house will be staying with family who live in the area, officials said.

The injured firefighter was taken to a hospital for treatment. His condition was not available Sunday evening, but his injury was not considered life-threatening, authorities said.

The house has been deemed uninhabitable. Damage is estimated at $175,000.

Aurora Fire Department Capt. Jim Rhodes said it was the second fire in three days caused by people attempting to thaw frozen pipes.

Anyone encountering frozen pipes in their residence should call a licensed plumber to address the issue, he said.

"The bottom line is that if you have these frozen pipes, it's best to call a plumber and let them come out and deal with it," he said.