A dropped cigarette started a fire in a room at the Centralia Motel on South Elm during the noon hour on Thursday.
Centralia Fire officials say the occupant had dropped a lit cigarette on the bed which fell onto the floor into clothing and bed linens. The occupant thought he had stomped the fire out, but it actually continued to burn in a pile of clothing and bed linens. The housekeeper was able to knocked down most of the fire with an extinguisher, while one of the owners ran across the street and reported it to firemen who were returning to the station.
The fire department then threw additional water on the fire and cleared smoke.
There were burn marks on the mattress and one wall, but otherwise the fire was confined to the pile of clothing.
