Cigarette Blamed for Small Fire at Station 250

officials are blaming a cigarette jammed in a potted plant for a small deck fire Tuesday afternoon at Station 250.

No injuries or evacuations were reported, officials said.

Fire Deputy Bill Spillane said when they arrived to the 7000 unit, the deck of a second-floor apartment was on fire.

Firefighters found several old cigarette butts on the deck and one stuck in a potted plant that had fallen from the ceiling to the deck, Spillane said at the scene.

The sprinkler above the deck didn't activate, and no alarms sounded, the deputy said.

Spillane estimated a couple hundred dollars worth of damage, but said it could've been a lot worse if the fire had gone up the side of the building.

"That's the problem with these buildings here. They are all light wood frame construction," Spillane said. "Once [the fire] gets into the vinyl siding - [the building is] gone."

Stephen Walsh contributed to this report.