UPDATE (12/1): Three of the four family members were released from the hospital after a house fire in Alamo. 

The incident happened early Thursday morning in the 1000 block of Evaristo Gonzalez. 

The family said the blaze destroyed everything they own and now they're homeless. 

Hidalgo County Fire Marshal's investigators believe the fire began after a family member left a candle lit all night long. 

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ALAMO – A family is recovering from a fire that destroyed most of their home. Multiple family members were sent to the hospital.

The owner of the home said a candle may be to blame for the blaze.

“I lived here for 33 years,” Lucilla Sanchez told CHANNEL 5 NEWS.

Sanchez said she loves her quiet neighborhood. She explained around 5:30 Thursday morning she awoke to an alarming sound. 

“I heard sirens, ambulances and fire trucks. I went outside and saw it,” Sanchez said.

Frantically she watched the fire trucks drive to a neighbor’s home. The house was ablaze.

The owner of the house that burned said both his children and his wife were sent to the hospital.

Unfortunately, two family pets were lost in the fire. The homeowner explained he believes the blaze began with a candle that was left lit overnight.

“If you’re not going to be in the room and you’re not going to be in the house make sure that everything is turned off make sure that you don’t have any candles on and make sure that they are out completely,” Hidalgo County Fire Investigator J.D. Franz said.

Franz explained the official cause of the fire is still under investigation. However, he told CHANNEL 5 NEWS when it comes to lit candles, being aware of its surroundings is key.

“You don’t want to have ignitable materials around them. You don’t want anything flammable. You don’t want them near curtains or drapes. You don’t want them in rooms where there are animals,” Franz said.

He told CHANNEL 5 NEWS the home had no working smoke detectors. He said that’s a mistake that can be avoided.

“It is very important that people check their smoke detectors and that they be working. They are not that expensive and they can definitely avert a tragedy,” Franz said.

The owner of the home said he is lucky every member of his family made it out alive. He explained all he and his family can do know is rebuild their home step by step.

Franz said the two groups that are most at risk of fires are young children and the elderly.

He recommends that you check the smoke alarms in your home as well as your elder family members.