Aurora, IL – Firefighters in Aurora battled a fast-moving third-alarm house fire Sunday morning that destroyed a North Avenue home and left one pet dead, according to officials.
The Aurora Fire Department said crews were dispatched around 11:09 a.m. on October 5 to the 400 block of North Avenue after reports of a front porch fully engulfed in flames. Within minutes, heavy smoke and fire spread into the home’s first and second floors and attic.
According to the department, 33 personnel — including four engine and truck companies, two medic units, and four chief officers — responded to the scene. The blaze also burned through live power lines and damaged a hose line as crews worked to contain it. Firefighters brought the fire under control in under 25 minutes with no injuries reported.
One resident managed to escape safely after discovering the flames. Two cats were inside the home; one was found deceased and the other remains missing. The residence was declared uninhabitable, and the Red Cross and Victim Services are assisting the displaced homeowner.
“The fire threatened not only the home itself, but neighboring properties,” said Aurora Fire Chief David McCabe, praising firefighters for their quick response despite “high winds and hazards.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Aurora Fire and the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
