A small fire in a Minerva Street apartment building was probably caused by a cigarette thrown into a bathroom trash can, Fire Marshal Phil Hawks said.
Derby firefighters were sent to a four-story apartment building at 45 Minerva St. at about 7:45 a.m. Tuesday.
Arriving firefighters could see smoke in the hallway on the first floor coming from an apartment.
They banged on the door several times. When there was no answer, firefighters forced their way in, Hawks said.
Firefighters saw a man, apparently inebriated, passed out on the floor inside the apartment.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the small fire in the bathroom.
Other than being inebriated, the man wasn’t injured, Hawks said.
The 16-unit apartment building was built in 1900, according to online assessor information.
