BURLINGTON — On Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, at approximately 5:50 p.m., firefighters with the Burlington Fire Department were dispatched to a multi-unit residential building located at 1 Hallmark Gardens following a 911 call reporting a possible structure fire.
According to Burlington Fire Chief James Browne, when the first arriving crew, Engine 4, arrived on scene, they saw smoke coming from a second-floor unit.
“All residents evacuated on their own, so firefighters quickly stretched two hose lines into the second floor, while other firefighters ventilated the building’s roof,” Chief Browne said. “Simultaneously, firefighters provided first aid to a resident who suffered burns. That residents was later transported to a local hospital for further treatment.”
Chief Browne said firefighters contained the two-alarm fire to the unit of origin and brought it under control in approximately 30 minutes.
“Firefighters remained on scene for an extended time afterward to overhaul the building,” Chief Browne said in a statement issued Tuesday. “Deep snow, ice, and cluttered conditions inside the unit posed challenges to firefighters. The fire hydrant closest to the building had already been cleared, but others in the area had to be cleared by firefighters.”
The eight-unit building sustained smoke damage throughout the second floor, while first-floor units below the fire sustained water damage.
“Residents of all eight units will be displaced,” Chief Browne said. “Exactly how many residents have been displaced, and how much assistance they will require is still being determined.”
Firefighters from Bedford, Lexington, Woburn, and Wilmington provided mutual aid at the scene, while Armstrong Ambulance kept an ambulance on standby at the scene. Firefighters from Reading, Billerica, and Stoneham covered Burlington fire stations during the incident.
The Burlington Fire Department is investigating the cause of the fire.
