Just minutes apart, two fires broke out in Aurora the afternoon of Sept. 15, including at a six-story apartment complex left uninhabitable and a two-story home.

The Aurora Fire Department first responded about 3:45 p.m. to the apartment complex in the 800 block of North Lake Street on the city’s west side. When the fire arrived, heavy fire was coming from a fifth-floor apartment, with smoke spreading into the sixth floor, according to an Aurora Fire Department release.

While the fire crew deployed hose lines, some residents were already evacuating, while others remained sheltered in their apartments under firefighter direction. The fire crew conducted searches on both the fifth and sixth floors, including stairwell checks, rapid intervention, and ventilation of upper floors and stairwells, according to the release.

A 15-year-old girl was treated for smoke inhalation and taken to the hospital. Two cats were rescued from the apartment where the fire began and provided oxygen by first responders, according to the release.

The fire was brought under control 13 minutes after the original 911 call. The building was deemed uninhabitable because of the extensive smoke, fire and water damage, according to the release.

Crews remained on the scene for several hours, assisting residents in retrieving personal belongings. The Red Cross, Victim Services and property management was also on scene assisting displaced residents, according to the release.

Less than a half-hour after calls for the first fire, a second fire was reported on the city’s northeast side.

Around 4:11 p.m., crews were dispatched to the 2200 block of Boxford Court to a two-story home with heavy smoke coming out the first floor.

All residents of the house had evacuated before the fire crew arrived. A hose line was used to extinguish the first-floor fire. Crews then performed searches, ventilated the home and confirmed there were no injuries, according to the release.

The home is currently habitable but sustained smoke damage. Help from the Red Cross and Victim Services were offered but declined by the family, according to the release.

“These two incidents underscore the complexity of what our firefighters face day to day, moving from a high-rise response to a residential fire within minutes,” Aurora Fire Chief David McCabe said. “I’m proud of our crews for acting swiftly, adapting to each environment, and making sure everyone was safe.”

Both fires remain under investigation by the department.

It’s been a busy month for the Aurora Fire Department, which also responded to two second-alarm house fires within a couple days, one Sept. 11 and one Sept. 13.