Six Children Escape Burlington House Fire; 1510 Smith Street Uninhabitable

Six children ranging in age from 2 to 18 escaped without injury after flames were visible from the first floor into the second story of a two-story single-family home in the 1500 block of Smith Street in Burlington, fire officials said. The Burlington Fire Department later deemed the residence uninhabitable and reported no injuries to civilians or firefighters.

The Burlington Fire Department was dispatched at about 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15, and crews were on scene within about four minutes, according to a department news release. Firefighters arriving on scene reported active flames on the first floor that extended into the second story of the wood-frame residence, and crews worked to contain the blaze.

The department’s release noted the house had working smoke alarms and that all occupants were able to evacuate. Fire investigators with the Fire Marshal’s office are handling the origin-and-cause probe, and officials said further updates will come from the fire marshal as the investigation progresses.

Local reports identified the specific property as 1510 Smith Street and said the residence is owned by Arya Enterprises and was insured at the time of the incident. Those ownership and insurance details were reported by KILJ and in a syndicated Nexstar entry; Burlington Fire Department incident logs and property records should be consulted for formal confirmation of ownership and insurance status.

Mutual-aid and support agencies were on scene or assisting residents, according to local dispatch reports: West Burlington Fire Department and Burlington Police Department provided response support, Des Moines County Communications (DESCOM) handled dispatch services, and utility personnel from Alliant Energy responded. The American Red Cross also was listed among assisting organizations in post-incident summaries; officials did not release specifics on whether the Red Cross provided temporary housing or financial assistance.

Damage assessments remain underway. KILJ reported that damage estimates were still being assessed and that the residence was being treated as uninhabitable pending those assessments and the fire marshal’s findings. No dollar estimates for structural loss or contents were released by responding agencies.

Reports differ on the exact street number used in initial dispatches: multiple outlets and the department release referenced the 1500 block of Smith Street, while KILJ identified the house as 1510 Smith Street. Journalists and officials have indicated the Burlington Fire Department incident report and the Fire Marshal’s office can provide the definitive address and a full list of responding units and agencies.

The Burlington Fire Department said the investigation is active and that the fire marshal will issue additional information when it becomes available.