Authorities say a family escaped safely from flames that heavily damage a Mount Pleasant house in southeast Iowa.

Firefighters from Mount Pleasant and New London were sent to fight the blaze, which broke out about 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

The Hawk Eye newspaper says Eric and Kirsten Heerdts and their two children were not injured. One of their dogs and a pet lizard and turtle were killed.

The fire cause is being investigated.