Dog, cats die in Aurora apartment fire

A dog and several cats died, and a firefighter was injured, last Friday in an apartment fire in west suburban Aurora.

Crews responded to a fire alarm about 9:30 a.m. at a three-story building in the 2100 block of Lilac Lane, Aurora Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Rhodes said in an emailed statement.

Firefighters found smoke coming from a locked second-floor apartment, Rhodes said. Crews broke down the door and rescued a dog and more than 10 cats.

“Unfortunately, the dog and a few cats were deceased, and animal control was called to the scene to assist,” Rhodes said.

The second-floor apartment was deemed uninhabitable, he said. There was about $20,000 in damage.

One firefighter had a “minor injury” and is expected to recover, Rhodes said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.