LEWISTON — Employees quickly extinguished a small fire that broke out at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center Monday night, saving the building from damage.

The fire began in a rolling trash bin left near an elevator on the second floor, Lewiston fire inspector Paul Ouellette said. Smoke was first discovered coming from the bin, and when a trash bag was removed, flames shot out, he said.

Hospital staff put the fire out using two fire extinguishers, he said.

There were no injuries and no permanent damage was done to the hospital, but the fire extinguishers left a mess of powdery residue, Ouellette said.

Fire officials found a used cigarette butt in another trash can, just a few feet from the portable one where the fire started, Ouellette said. Hot ashes from the cigarette likely caused the fire, he said.

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