Fire leaves 3 Aurora apts. uninhabitable

A roofing torch started a fire Wednesday that caused $100,000 damage and left three units of a large apartment complex on the west side of Aurora uninhabitable. Workers were fixing the drains when the roof of the five-story apartment building at 2000 W. Illinois Ave. caught fire. A worker couldn't contain the blaze with a fire extinguisher and firefighters were called about 1:10 p.m.

The fire was contained to the southeast portion of the roof but also went into a void area above the fifth floor. Firefighters removed a 15-foot by 20-foot section to get at the fire in that space, according to Battalion Chief Mike Buckley. Residents were removed from the building but no injuries were reported. Three units remained uninhabitable and shelter was found for the occupants, Buckley said. Firefighters remained on the scene until about 4:30 p.m. Damage was estimated at $50,000 to the building and $50,000 to the contents.