Dog dies in 2-story house fire in Aurora; 3 residents displaced

DENVER ( KDVR ) — A dog died from smoke inhalation from a fire that started in an Aurora kitchen Tuesday evening, according to Aurora Fire Rescue.

The agency said the fire was reported at about 5:30 p.m. by a next-door neighbor who saw the smoke coming out of the two-story single-family residence near the intersection of East Quincy Avenue and South Reservoir Road.

Eleven Aurora Fire Rescue units responded to the fire, including at least one ladder truck. When crews first arrived on scene, there was faint smoke observed near the second-story gable at the front of the house. When fire crews entered the home, smoke billowed from the front door, the agency reported.

Crews were able to locate the source of the fire in the kitchen and searched the house for occupants. No humans were found inside, but a dog was located near the kitchen area and was quickly evacuated from the house.

Crews began resuscitation efforts but were unable to revive the dog. The canine died from injuries caused by smoke inhalation.

Firefighters also found a cat on the lower level of the house. The cat did not appear to have any injuries and was reunited with the home’s three occupants when they arrived on scene. The American Red Cross is assisting the residents who have been displaced by the fire.

The fire was determined to be an accidental kitchen fire. Cooking is a primary cause of home structure fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association, with 44% of residential fires started in the kitchen.

“Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food,” Aurora Fire Rescue advised on X. “If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove. Check on items that you are simmering, baking or roasting regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking. Also, keep anything that can catch fire — such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from heat sources.”

The agency shared that in 2022, U.S. fire departments responded to about 178,600 cooking fires that lit in residential buildings.

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