AUBURN — An early-morning house fire on Valley Street that displaced eight people was apparently caused by smoking materials, a fire official said Tuesday.

No one at 46 Valley St. was hurt in the fire, which was called in at 2:54 a.m. Tuesday, according to David O’Connell, fire prevention officer and fire investigator for the Auburn Fire Department.

Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the basement in about half an hour. O’Connell said it appears the fire was ignited by smoking materials.

Because of water and smoke damage, the house was considered uninhabitable, and the five adults and three children there were being assisted by the local Red Cross, according to O’Connell. 

The occupants were renting and did not have renter’s insurance, O’Connell said. As of early Tuesday, he had not been able to reach the owner of the property.

A fire at 46 Valley St. in Auburn displaced eight people who were renting the home, a fire official said. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)