Aurora landmark burns Thursday

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BY CORY MATTESON / Lincoln Journal Star

Fire crews from Aurora and the surrounding area were keeping watch Thursday night at a historic downtown building that was engulfed in flames Thursday afternoon.

The three-story Royal Highlanders Building, a large brick, castlelike structure that has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1985, appeared to have burned beyond repair, Aurora resident Lawrence Molczyk said.

Molczyk said the building is vacant save for a first-floor salon. An Aurora firefighter said the building might have to be completely leveled Friday. 

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Fire crews battle the flames after the three-story Fidelity building in Aurora caught fire on Thursday. (Courtesy)

Molczyk came home at about 5 p.m. to find that the building, formerly known as the Fidelity building, the largest in the town square, was on fire.

Aurora firefighter Tim Madison said crews were alerted to the fire at about 4:15 p.m. He was uncertain as to where the fire began, and investigators were still trying to determine the cause Thursday night. He said hot spots were still being contained in the building at about 9 p.m., and fire crews were knocking down parts of the terrace they feared could collapse onto the streets of the town of about 4,250.

"I imagine we'll be up babysitting this all night," Madison said.

An Aurora firefighter had been taken by ambulance to Aurora Memorial Hospital during the fire, but Madison said he saw the man up and walking around later that evening. No one was seriously hurt, he said.

About 20 to 25 firefighters from Aurora worked the fire, Madison said.

He said the department was assisted by the Giltner, Phillips and Hampton fire departments. The Grand Island, York and Hastings fire departments all provided aerial units, Madison said.

They were watched by much of the town Thursday afternoon. Downtown Aurora was packed with residents, Molczyk said, there to watch the Iams Pet Parade.

Residents and their cats and dogs, some in costume, looked on from a safe distance along with several people dressed as clowns, meant to entertain children during the parade.

“It was a surreal experience,” he said.

Reach Cory Matteson at 473-2655 or cmatteson@journalstar.com.