A man was evacuated and two pet birds rescued during a fire on Sunday that left a home on Aurora’s East Side uninhabitable, according to a news release from the Aurora Fire Department.
On Sunday at around 12:35 p.m., the fire department responded to a report of a structure fire on the 100 block of North Union Street in Aurora, the release said.
Three engine companies, two truck companies, three medic units and three chief officers, for a total of 29 personnel, responded to the scene, the release said. The department’s Incident Safety Officer also provided support.
Upon arrival, crews found heavy smoke coming from the attic and roof of a 2½-story single-family home, along with additional smoke and flames visible from the rear of the home, per the release.
Responding crews initiated an interior attack, and firefighters advanced hose lines to multiple floors while others conducted searches, ventilated the roof and opened up access to the attic, the release said. The fire was found to have started near a vent in the kitchen area, and had extended through the second floor and into the attic, according to officials.
A man, 50, the only occupant of the home, was alerted by police officers and evacuated before the fire department arrived, the release said.
No injuries were reported, but firefighters found two pet birds during their search of the home and reunited them with family members, the release said. The home sustained significant damage and was deemed uninhabitable, and Victim Services responded to assist the displaced family.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to the Aurora Fire Department.