5 Fires, 1 Water Rescue: AFD Answers 200-Plus Calls July 4 Weekend

AURORA, IL — The Fourth of July weekend was a busy one for the Aurora Fire Department. Officials reported that crews responded to 242 calls for service between July 3-7.

Of all call types, six — including one water rescue and five structure fires — required additional alarms requesting more companies to the scene.

The Independence Day holiday did not have a direct effect on call volume or call types, Fire Marshal Christopher Temes said in a news release.

On July 4, crews responded to two structure fires within minutes of each other. At 10:09 p.m., a fire was reported in the 500 block of Grand Avenue on the city's west side. The blaze was contained to the exterior siding of a single-family house, according to the release.

About 21 minutes later, crews were sent to another single-family house, this time in the 800 block of Camden Lane on the far east side. Before firefighters arrived, a resident extinguished the main body of fire on the rear deck. Crews then helped using a water can to ensure the flames were completely doused.

Temes said the fires did not displace residents as both houses remained inhabitable.

The following day, at about 1:30 p.m., dispatch received a 911 call reporting a woman in distress in the Fox River. A woman, who officials said was about 50 years old, was near the center island behind Cool Acres Park near Sullivan Road and Route 25.

While a rescue boat was being launched, divers swam in the fast-moving water to assess and secure the woman in a life jacket before carrying her across the river to an ambulance waiting at the shore. Temes said she was taken to a local hospital for further medical evaluation. Divers were not injured in the rescue.

Over the next three days, crews responded to one structure fire per day.

At 6:49 p.m. July 5, multiple callers reported that a two-story, single-family house in the 800 block of Red Clover Drive was on fire.

Engine crews found flames in the garage on the first floor and quickly extinguished them before moving to the second floor, where heavy fire was found in the southeast corner and extended into the attic. Firefighters brought the blaze under control in less than an hour.

The residents, including a family dog, safely evacuated the house. They will be staying with neighbors, Temes said.

About nine hours later, at 4:56 a.m. July 6, the same crew was dispatched for another fire in the 800 block of Camden Lane when a jogger saw the fire and called 911 before telling residents to evacuate. A heavy fire engulfed the second-floor exterior deck and extended into the two-story, multi-family building.

Damage was contained to the unit where the fire began, leaving the other units inhabitable. Temes said the owner of the unit is working with the five displaced residents who were renting the space.

The final fire of the weekend happened at 6:08 a.m. July 7 on the fourth floor of a hotel in the 2400 block of Sullivan Road. Crews did not see a fire showing or any evacuation in progress as they arrived. Instead, they found heavy smoke conditions showing on the fourth floor and that a sprinkler system contained and extinguished the fire in the hotel room.

Crews ventilated and overhauled the fire in the room to ensure it was completely extinguished. No injuries were reported, according to the release.

Temes said the causes of the fires are not known as of Sunday evening. All incidents were investigated by the fire department's investigations team.