Aurora firefighter falls through the floor while battling house fire

In an example of how dangerous battling structure fires can be, an Aurora firefighter recently had a close call when they fell through the floor of a home while responding to a fire.

Around 12:35 a.m. Saturday, Aurora Fire Rescue responded to a 911 call reporting heavy smoke filling the street in the 16000 block of E. Ithaca Place. The caller reported a possible fire in the backyard of a home there.

When firefighters arrived, they found smoke pouring from all of the vents in the house. Shortly after crews entered the home and began efforts to control the blaze, part of the floor collapsed. A firefighter fell through the floor but was quickly removed and evaluated for injuries.

AFR says one firefighter suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital as a precaution.

As conditions inside the home deteriorated, crews had to pull back and attack the fire from outside the structure. It took firefighters approximately 40 minutes to bring the fire under control.

The home suffered extensive fire, smoke, and water damage, but no residents were displaced.

The fire department says the cause of the fire remains under investigation.