Fire started by cigarette on Butler Place early this afternoon 8.20.2014

iowagirl

Someone threw a lit cigarette into a tree pit on the northwest side of Butler Place early this afternoon.  This particular tree pit is covered with mulch and dry pine needles. As I was walking by at about 12:30, it had already begun to smolder, and a woman was trying to put out the cigarette by stomping it and covering it with dirt, but she had no water.  I ran home and came back with a big bowl of water, and by the time I got there a couple of minutes later, there were flames in two places and lots of smoke. The water doused the fire, but, as I saw a few minutes later, not completely, as it started smoking again. The super at 15 Butler and I used their hose, and flooded it.

There's a car parked next to the tree, and I shudder to think what might have happened. 

All this is to say BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR CIGARETTE. If you throw it on the sidewalk or in the trash or in a tree pit -- or anywhere -- PLEASE MAKE SURE IT'S OUT BEFORE YOU WALK AWAY.

bkchickie

Thanks for putting out the fire!  That's my block.

General note to smokers: the world is not your ashtray.