Fire tears through vacant Aurora home, sending crews retreating for cover By Sun-Times Media Wire AURORA, Ill. - A vacant apartment building in Aurora was destroyed Tuesday in a blaze so intense that firefighters retreated several times from the raging flames inside. "It was a pretty labor-intensive fire," Aurora Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Rhodes said, adding that firefighters were forced to exit the home a couple times when the fire became too dangerous. "We were ultimately able to get back in there and put out the fire," he said. Firefighters battle a blaze in Aurora on March 2 in the 200 block of Downer Place. | Aurora Fire Department/Facebook