CANTON, OH -- A man used a ladder to rescue a woman and child from the roof of a burning house at 1626 Olive Place NE Sunday morning.
"Luckily for them a neighbor saw them," said Battalion Chief Adam Lauer of the city Fire Department. "He had a ladder in his backyard. He carried the ladder to the structure. He put the ladder on the front porch. He was able to get the female and child off the roof."
Firefighters responded at 9:17 a.m. to blaze in the 21/2-story frame house.
"When we arrived there was fire coming out of every window," Lauer said. "The first floor was fully involved as well as the second. There is a lot of damage inside."
The exterior of the house has several scorch marks. As of Sunday afternoon, firefighters did not know what ignited the fire or where it started. Inside the house were two women and three children. The house is owned by Carla Coffman.
"They said they were asleep at the time of the fire," Lauer said. "They awoke to smoke and flames. Everybody was out of the house before we got there."
The woman and child that were trapped on the porch roof used a bedroom window to escape outside of the house.
"It could have been a lot different," Lauer said. "We owe a great deal of gratitude to the neighbor."
Lauer did not have the name of the owner of the house. The people inside were transported to a hospital for observation.
"No serious injuries," Lauer said. "There was smoke inhalation. We had three firefighters with minor injuries."
The local American Red Cross chapter was summoned to provide emergency assistance. As a result of the fire the house is not habitable.
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