Updated Sunday at 9:40 a.m. with the names of the victims.
Two people have died in a fire that engulfed a six-unit apartment building in Burlington early Saturday morning.
Several 911 calls were made at 5:14 a.m., alerting first responders of a structure fire at the building located at 199 King St. Burlington firefighters were dispatched and arrived four minutes later, according to a press release from the Burlington Fire Department.
“Burlington firefighters initiated an aggressive and coordinated fire attack and search of the building,” fire officials said. “Crews discovered two unconscious victims in one of the second floor apartments and transported one of them the [sic] University of Vermont Medical Center. Tragically, both of these victims did not survive.”
Both victims, 55-year-old Henry Burawa and 31-year-old Michael Loyer, were identified as residents of separate apartments at 199 King St., Burlington police said.
A preliminary investigation indicates that the cause of the fire was accidental. One of the occupants of the building “fell asleep with smoking materials that ignited nearby combustibles,” the fire department said in an updated statement.
Mayor Miro Weinberger, in a statement, said he walked the burned-out building with Fire Chief Steven Locke soon after it had been stabilized.
“My heart goes out to the friends and loved ones of the deceased, and the other five households who are now displaced,” Weinberger stated.
“I commend the Burlington firefighters who responded to this tragedy within minutes of the emergency call,” he added. “They moved swiftly through the structure while it was still engulfed in flames to ensure that no other lives were lost.”
Weinberger said the fire moved through the building with “stunning speed and power.” The burn was designated a three-alarm fire, requiring back up by the South Burlington and Colchester fire departments. In all, 46 Burlington firefighters responded.
The building did not have automatic fire sprinklers or a monitored fire alarm that would call the fire department automatically. It was equipped with smoke alarms. One firefighter experienced “minor injuries.”
The fire is currently being investigated by the Burlington fire marshal, the Burlington Police Department, the Division of Fire Safety and the Vermont State Police.
Weinberger reminded residents to ensure their fire systems are working correctly.
“I urge everyone to check your smoke alarms and fire systems regularly – and hug your loved ones,” he said. “Despite all the progress we have made on building fire safety in recent decades, our protection from sudden tragedy requires ongoing vigilance.”