AURORA, Colo. -- Firefighters battled a suspected arson fire in Aurora Tuesday morning.

The fire broke out in the Silver Ridge Apartments on Buckley Road and Ouray Way shortly before 9 a.m. One unit was heavily damaged and the family was evacuated.

Police say the fire started in a box of books placed outside the apartment.

Beverly Thompson and her 13-year-old daughter smelled the smoke and they got out as quickly as they could.

"I just moved from San Diego three weeks ago and I didn't bring in my Christian books and stuff and I had a whole bunch of them on the side of my house and someone lit all of them on fire and started the whole fire up the side of my house," said Thompson.

Arson investigators are still at the scene. Damage is estimated at $10,000.