Porch Blaze Spreads Into Aurora House, Kills Cat: AFD

AURORA, IL — A house was destroyed and a cat was killed Sunday morning after a fire on the front porch spread to upper floors, the Aurora Fire Department said Monday.

A total of 33 personnel responded at 11:09 a.m. to the property in the 400 block of North Avenue to find heavy fire had consumed the porch and spread into the first and second floors as well as the attic. The fire also burned through live power lines in the front yard, subsequently damaging one of the fire hoses, according to a news release.

Crews contained the fire in less than 25 minutes, with no injuries reported to residents or firefighters, officials said.

One resident was home at the time of the fire and safely evacuated after discovering the porch in flames, according to the fire department. The resident told first responders that two cats were inside when the fire started; crews determined that one was killed, while the other was unaccounted for.

The house was deemed uninhabitable, and Victim Services and the Red Cross were called in to help the displaced resident.

"This was a fast-moving fire that threatened not only the home itself, but the neighboring properties," Aurora Fire Chief David McCabe said in a statement. "Our firefighters did an outstanding job getting the fire under control quickly and safely, despite the high winds and hazards they faced."

The Aurora Fire Department and State Fire Marshal's Office are investigating the origin and cause of the fire, officials said.