Residents evacuating apartments near tower

AURORA -- Police were encouraging the approximately 1,600 residents at Amli apartments off Eola Road to evacuate Thursday evening because of their proximity to the damaged, 750-foot-tall WBIG radio tower.

Residents spent the evening packing up their cars, and others made multiple trips to Amli to get more necessities out of their apartments, as they planned to spend a few days away.

While police at the scene said they saw many residents leave the premises Thursday, quite a few planned to stay put, at least for the evening.

"There's no wind blowing. They're not calling for any kind of bad weather. Gravity would bring it straight down, so I'm not going anywhere," tenant James Smith said from the balcony of his second-floor apartment.

But Smith admitted that the minute he hears of any bad weather warnings, "I'm leaving here in a heartbeat," he said.

But one couple, who could see the wire cables from their apartment window, didn't take any chances. They packed luggage and left town.

"Would you want a two-inch-thick cable coming through your window? You don't know where it's going to go," said the tenant, who did not want his name used.

The apartment buildings which police are advising residents to vacate are within 1,000 feet of the tower along Eola Road:

• Amli at Oakhurst North Apartments (buildings are on Amli Drive, Amli Lane and Amli Court): 840, 843, 850, 860, 863, 870, 872, 880, 2705, 2710, 2730, 2749, 2750, 2752, 2767, 2770, 2775, 2790, 2800, 2805, 2820, 2823, 2830, 2840, 2841, 2860, 2869, 2873, 2886, 2889, 2905.

• Riverstone Drive (just north of tower): 925, 928, 935, 938, 945, 948, 955, 968, 975, 978, 985, 988, 995, 998.

• Riverstone Court: 2884, 2904, 2925, 2985, 2905.

Engineers will be using a helicopter to begin repairs to the radio tower today. Aurora police ask anyone with questions or special transportation needs to call (630) 264-INFO.

• Photos: Kirstin laid to rest
• Photos: Workers fix radio tower
• Photos: Copter crash probe begins
• Photos: Family's mourning begins
• Photos: The victims
• Photos: Crash scene

• Twitter: Latest developments

• Map: Crash site

Tuesday stories

• Tears, rain fall as tiny crash victim buried 
• Flight nurse a hero: 'Gave his life for little baby'
• Hero's selfless final act offers some solace'

Monday stories

• NTSB gets surveillance video
• Leland girl killed in crash laid to rest

Sunday stories

• Close-knit town asks to mourn in private
• Work finishes on damaged radio tower

Saturday stories

• Tower work complete, residents may return
• In wind, rain, workers chop up radio tower
• Radio tower well-known to local pilots

Friday stories

• Radio tower dismantled after helicopter crash
• Family of tiniest victim mourns flight crew
• Helicopter crash probe could take months
• Residents evacuating apartments near tower
• Witnesses describe the fiery crash
• Air Angels: 'We look at what's best for the patient'
• FAA under pressure to improve safety for EMS flights
• Crash turns focus on air transport safety
• Helicopter crew remembered as heroes
• Shock settles on emergency response crews

Thursday stories

• Aurora helicopter crash kills Air Angels crew, child
• Friends speak of Air Angels crew's dedication
• Witness: Debris rained down from the sky
• NTSB investigating cause of crash
• Police ask residents near crash to evacuate
• Last Air Angels crash in Fox Valley 5 years ago