CANTON – Firefighters responded to a blaze that displaced five people and damaged much of a home on Harrison Avenue NW Thursday afternoon.

The fire, which started in the living room, took place at 2819 Harrison Ave. NW, less than a mile northeast of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said Canton Fire Battalion Chief Eric Ohman. It was reported around 12:45 p.m.

No people or pets were hurt, he said. While the 1 1/2-story house wasn't destroyed, it sustained serious damage. Five adults and two children will have to stay elsewhere.

The cause appears accidental, but the Fire Prevention Bureau will investigate.

The first firefighters responded from the fire station on 25th Street NW and Cleveland Avenue NW and got there within four minutes, Ohman said. They found the entire front porch and the living room on fire. They and firefighters who arrived shortly after that had the fire out by about 12:55 p.m. They were on scene putting out embers until about 3:15 p.m.

The fire department estimates damage at $50,000 to the structure and $10,000 to contents.

Ohman said the woman who owned the home was in the house with a contractor who was working on giving her an estimate on how much it would cost to replace or repair her roof. 

They smelled smoke. They went into the living room and saw the couch was on fire. Everyone in the home was able to exit safely before firefighters arrived, said Ohman.

Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com. Twitter: @rwangREP.