Candle suspected in Visalia house fire where no one was home

A house fire in Visalia may have been started by a candle in a back room, the Visalia Fire Department said.

The fire at the home in the 300 block of East Rose Street in south central Visalia was reported about 10:30 a.m. Monday and took 15 minutes to put out, said Battalion Chief Danny Wristen.

Damage is estimated at $80,000.

No one was home at the time and the cause is considered accidental, he said. The investigation was focusing on candles, he said.

Karina Hernandez, 33, of Farmersville, said her parents have lived in the home for 20 years. Her father was at work, while she, her mother and brother were at a restaurant when they received a phone call about the fire, she said.

This story was originally published March 13, 2017 at 1:51 PM with the headline "Candle suspected in Visalia house fire where no one was home."