Javier Vasquez-Munoz, his wife and their five children, plus a nephew and a niece living with them, have lost their home to fire.

The Austin Fire Department responded to an alarm at 9:24 p.m. Wednesday at the Vasquez-Munoz residence at 109 2nd St. SE.

Finding no one home, the firefighters were forced to force their way into the residence as smoke billowed from basement windows.

The fire was brought under control, but not before extensive damages to the residence of the eight people.

Austin Fire Chief Dan Wilson said the family suffered "considerable loss."

The fire chief is certain the fire originated in the basement, where two male juveniles were changing clothes by candlelight. Earlier Wednesday, Austin Utilities had shut off electrical power to the residence.

The juveniles apparently left the residence without extinguishing the candles and while they were gone, the lit candles somehow ignited a fire in the basement.

"We're absolutely sure of the place of origin of the fire," said Wilson. "There's no doubt about that."

None of the occupants were injured and the smoke, fire and water damage was confined to the interior.

The adults and children -- none over the age of 13 -- spent Wednesday night at the Days Inn thanks to the Mower County chapter of the American Red Cross.

However, Wilson was unsure when the family could return to their house. An insurance adjustor was expected to begin an on-scene investigation this week.

The fire was fought in Wednesday's high humidity and 86-degree temperatures and the fire chief said firefighters worked hard to suppress the blaze.

"A basement fire like this

is a very physical fire," said Wilson, "The firefighters have their heavy turnout gear, it's a hot and humid day, they're fighting a fire that by its nature is zooming upwards through the basement stairway and they have the fire nozzles and hoses. It's just an extremely physical challenge to anyone."

Wilson refused to speculate how long the lit candles burned before the fire was ignited and when Austin Police Department officers on routine patrol noticed the smoke coming from the house.

"That's the ambiguous part about this," Wilson said. "We just don't know."

The implication that candles caused the house fire prompted the fire chief to speak about their dangers in homes.

In a recent 18 month period, the city reported 10 candle fires, prompting Austin police Capt. Curt Rude to observe, "Kids and candles just don't mix."

Wilson said there were no working smoke detectors in the house.

"For eight years now, we have made every effort to promote smoke alarms," Wilson said.

"We have done everything we could to remind people how important they are."

"This house was only a couple of blocks away from the fire station where we would have given them a free smoke alarm," he said.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com