'Difficult' Fire At Aurora Duplex Claims 3 Animals' Lives, Hospitalizes Homeowner: AFD

AURORA, IL — At least three animals were killed and a homeowner was hospitalized after a fire erupted early Monday morning at an Aurora duplex, officials said.

The owner of the unit in the 1500 block of Andover Circle and a neighboring tenant were both displaced as a result of the fire.

Twenty-nine crew members responded at about 4:55 a.m. to the two-story duplex to find heavy smoke and fire coming from both stories and visible flames extending along the structure. The blaze worsened after firefighters began an interior attack but then had to pause operations due to an issue with the thermal compromise of the initial hose line, according to a Tuesday news release.

All crews safely evacuated the property and employed a defensive strategy until it was safe to resume the interior fire attack, officials said. Ultimately, firefighters brought the blaze under control with three hose lines and extensively overhauled the structure to ensure the fire was completely extinguished.

The homeowner was hospitalized for possible smoke inhalation and later transferred to another facility for further care, according to the release. Two cats and a dog were killed, and several other pets were still unaccounted for as of Tuesday afternoon.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials said.

"This was a difficult fire made more challenging by early setbacks and heavy fire conditions," Fire Chief David McCabe said in a statement. "Our crews remained focused, adapted quickly, and worked together to bring the fire under control while protecting adjacent units and ensuring everyone's safety."