2 Pet Birds Rescued In Attic Fire: Aurora FD

AURORA, IL — Two pet birds were rescued, and no residents were injured, after an attic caught fire Sunday afternoon in the 100 block of North Union Street, the Aurora Fire Department said.

A total of 29 firefighting personnel were dispatched at 12:35 p.m. to the 2.5-story single-family home, where a fire originated near a vent in the kitchen and extended vertically through the second floor and into the attic, according to a news release.

When firefighters arrived, they found heavy smoke showing from the attic and roof, with additional smoke and flames visible from the back of the house. Crews launched an aggressive interior attack, with some advancing hose lines to multiple floors and others conducting searches, ventilating the roof and opening the attic access, officials said.

The only resident, a 50-year-old man, was alerted by police and safely evacuated before firefighters arrived. No injuries were reported, and the pet birds were reunited with family members.

"Our crews did an excellent job of stopping this fire before it could fully take hold of the attic," Fire Chief David McCabe said in a statement. "Thanks to the quick actions of both police and fire personnel, the resident was safely evacuated, and the damage was kept from spreading further."

Although the fire was contained, the house sustained significant damage and was deemed uninhabitable. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Victim Services responded to help the displaced family, officials said.