Aurora Fire Department responds to two overlapping second-alarm fires

The Aurora Fire Department responded to two second-alarm structure fires Monday afternoon, just minutes apart.

The Aurora Fire Department Office of Public Information said they were called to a six-story apartment complex in the 800 block of North Lake Street at approximately 3:47 p.m. to find heavy fire coming from a fifth-floor unit.

A 15-year-old girl was treated for smoke inhalation and taken to the hospital, and two cats were rescued from the apartment. 13 minutes after the initial 9-1-1 call, the fire was extinguished and the building was deemed uninhabitable due to extensive smoke damage.

Just minutes later at approximately 4:11 p.m., a second fire was dispatched in the 2200 block of Boxford Court. First responders arrived to find heavy smoke coming from a two-story home. All residents had already evacuated.

The responding fire engine quickly deployed a hose line to extinguish a first-floor fire. Although the building remained structurally habitable, the residents opted to stay with family.

“These two incidents underscore the complexity of what our firefighters face day to day — moving from a high-rise response to a residential fire within minutes,” said Aurora Fire Chief David McCabe. “I’m proud of our crews for acting swiftly, adapting to each environment, and making sure everyone was safe.”