CANTON, Ohio — A Canton woman is blaming her cat for starting a house fire during the total solar eclipse on April 8.
The structure fire at the two-story residence happened at around 2:45 p.m. in the 600 block of 25th Street Northwest in Canton on Monday.
The woman told fire crews that she believed the blaze started after one of her cats turned on a burner on the stovetop. Additionally, she told the Canton Fire Department that she tried to put the fire out with a towel but was unable to do so.
While quickly extinguishing the fire, crews found 37 cats inside the home. Several of the cats were given oxygen for smoke inhalation. We're told all of the cats survived.
Officials say that one firefighter suffered minor injuries, but the resident was uninjured.
The fire caused an estimated $7,500 worth of damage to the structure and a $1,500 loss of contents.
Canton fire says that the fire was determined to be accidental.