A 50-year-old woman jumped for her life from a third-story window early this morning to escape a three-alarm fire in Aurora.
After falling 20 feet, the woman suffered significant injuries and was transported along with six other victims to an area hospital.
At approximately 12:23 a.m., the Aurora Fire Department was dispatched to 15 N. Broadway for a structure fire. While en route, Aurora Central Dispatch advised that people were trapped in the rear of the building. The response was upgraded to a 2nd alarm.
Upon arrival, fire crews found a 3-story building housing a business on the 1st floor and apartments on the 2nd and 3rd floors, with heavy smoke showing from the 3rd-floor windows.
The Engine Companies deployed hose lines to attack the fire while the Truck Companies began searching for victims. The first arriving Battalion Chief requested a 3rd alarm and Medic Box bringing a total of 54 firefighters to the scene.
Paramedics treated and transported a total of seven patients to area hospitals. In addition to the 50-year-old female, a 58-year-old male was in serious condition suffering from severe smoke inhalation. Also, a 43-year-old male, a 43-year-old female, a 36-year-old male, a 20-year-old female, and a 9-year-old female all suffered minor smoke inhalation and injuries and were subsequently discharged from the hospital.
The 50-year-old female and 58-year-old male critical patients were later transferred to an area Level 1 Trauma Center.
Red Cross and Victim Services were called to the scene to assist the displaced victims as the apartments were deemed uninhabitable. The fire was brought under control within 30 minutes; however, fire crews remained on the scene for several hours, checking for fire extension and extinguishing hot spots and hidden fire.
One 50-year-old male firefighter also sustained a minor injury that did not require transport to the hospital, and a 65-year-old male signed a release and was not transported after paramedics assessed him.
The fire remains under investigation at this time.
