6 injured, 1 critical after trapped, rescued from burning home in Aurora: officials

AURORA, Ill. (WLS) -- One person is in critical condition and five others, including a police officer, were injured Saturday morning in a structure fire in Aurora.

Officials said they got a call just after 6 a.m. for a report of a structure fire with people trapped inside in the 0-100 block of Jackson Street.

Aurora police arrived to find a 2-story multifamily home with fire on the back side of the building. Some residents were also seen hanging out of two 2-story windows on the front side of the building as heavy smoke billowed out, officials said.

Officers said they were able to find a ladder in the backyard to help rescue the victims.

While working to put out the fire, firefighters went in to search for additional victims and found an unconscious man, who was not breathing, in the basement. He was quickly moved to safety while responders started treatment before he was taken away by ambulance to a local hospital in critical condition, fire officials said.

It took firefighters over an hour to extinguish the fire, officials said.

Two adults, 33 and 34, and two teens, 14 and 17, were treated at the hospital for minor burns and smoke inhalation. The man in the basement, 30, also suffered severe smoke inhalation, fire officials said.

A police officer who assisted in the rescue efforts also went to the hospital and was treated for minor smoke inhalation.

A total of eight people have been displaced because of the fire and Victim Services was contacted to assist them.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Aurora Police Department Arson Investigators and the Aurora Fire Department Fire Investigators, with assistance from the fire marshal.