Dog Dies, Firefighter's Leg Injured In House Fire: Aurora FD

AURORA, IL — A dog died, and a firefighter injured his leg during a blazing house fire in the 900 block of Clarendon Lane Monday afternoon, according to the Aurora Fire Department. The fire, rendering the house uninhabitable, displaced two adults and two children.

Twenty-seven firefighters from Aurora Fire Department's Central Station were dispatched to the two-story house around 2:06 p.m. on multiple calls of a house fire. The house's attached garage was beaming heavy smoke that carried over to a car parked in the driveway and rapidly making its way to the second floor, officials said Tuesday afternoon.

Officials continue to investigate the cause of the fire.

A 38-year-old man and a 4-year-old girl were at home when the fire started, officials said. The man, who was later treated at the scene for minor smoke inhalation, told firefighters there were two cats and a dog still inside the house.

Fire crews began deploying multiple hose lines to extinguish the fire and protect a neighboring house that was starting to catch, according to the department. A hose line was also deployed to the back of the burning building to save another house that was beginning to catch fire.

Once they began searching the house for pets, firefighters said they found the dog, which was unconscious and not breathing. Firefighters and paramedics performed CPR and administered oxygen to the dog, but officials said it didn't survive.

One of the cats was found to be shaken up yet okay, officials said, but the other cat wasn't found.

A 52-year-old lieutenant's leg was injured during the fire, and he was treated and taken to a hospital in good condition. Another 22-year-old male firefighter was also treated for a minor injury at the scene, officials said.

A friend of the family started a GoFundMe campaign Tuesday morning to raise money after the tragedy. According to the description, the family's cat, found by firefighters in the house, was hospitalized but in stable condition.

"This family is extremely humble and would never dare of asking for help (I may be in trouble when they see this!), but I know they need assistance right now as they are literally starting from scratch," the page reads.

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.

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