A home at 196 Pleasant St. in Richmond was damaged by fire Saturday morning, after a blaze started in a loft on the third floor while the homeowners were out running errands, said Matt Roberge, chief of the town fire department.

Firefighters from Richmond and several surrounding towns responded to the fire at 9:30 a.m. and quickly put it out by spraying water through a back window, then entering the inside of the home, Roberge said. They cleared the scene around noon.

The owners of the home, Kent and Eileen Leonard, were out shopping and returned while firefighters were working, Roberge said. They are contacting their insurance company as well as the American Red Cross. Though the home was not a total loss, Roberge said it may not inhabitable until they can repair the combination of damage from smoke, heat and water.

Firefighters are still determining the cause of the fire. It might have been related to an electrical problem or improperly disposed smoking materials, Roberge said. The state fire marshal’s office declined to investigate it.

Charles Eichacker — 621-5642

[email protected]

Twitter: @ceichacker