DONNA, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Hidalgo County fire investigators say a candle is to blame for a house fire that claimed the life of a 4-year-old boy Tuesday.
Investigators say the fire started in the living room of the Donna mobile home. Based on the fire patterns found at the scene and interviews with the family, investigators believe the fire was started by a candle.
Home owners told authorities they had placed two candles on a wooden table along with photographs of a deceased loved one. They said the table stood about 30 inches off the ground and had wooden shelves.
An examination of the area revealed glass and wax remnants.
“The fire patters were consistent with a fire igniting in the area and traveling outward in a very visible pattern,” said Hidalgo County Fire Marshal Homero Garza. “The first item ignited possibly being the wood materials and then nearby furniture.”
The fire is ruled undetermined at this point in the investigation.
As previously reported, at 3 p.m. Tuesday deputies and firefighters responded to the structure fire on the 9200 block of Guadalupe Drive.
According to a news release from HCSO, family members told deputies the child was possibly still inside the residence.
Once the fire had been extinguished, firefighters found his burnt body inside the trailer.
