A fire damaged the exterior entrance to the East Ridge Community Center and caused smoke damage inside the building, Saturday night.

According to Fire Chief Mike Williams, the fire was reported at 8:54 p.m., when officials were alerted by a fire alarm and a patrol officer. Firefighters arrived and found flames coming from a garbage can/cigarette receptacle that is situated on the landing to the main entrance to the building.

Chief Williams said flames were climbing up the wall and partially enveloping the ceiling area on the southeast side of the entrance. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze but not before smoke pored into to the building.

The remnants of a garbage can/cigarette receptacle is visible in the foreground as ERFD firefighters examine damage to the ceiling of the exterior of the East Ridge Community Center, Saturday night.

A boy and his dad were riding bicycles in the area and said they saw the fire.

“I asked my dad, ‘is that a fire over there?’ said the boy, who did not give his name. “When we rode up, we saw this guy running from the garbage can. My dad told me to ride over to the police station and tell them.”

The boy said that he ran into a police officer and told him of the fire. The officer was telling young folks at Pioneer Frontier playground to clear out, he said.

Chief Williams said it is unclear if the fire was intentionally set. He said that winds in the area during the afternoon and into the evening could possibly have kept embers from a discarded cigarette alive and could have started the fire. He also said the fiberglass construction of the garbage can/cigarette receptacle could have contributed to the intensity of the blaze.

The fire is under investigation.

Stump Martin, the city’s Director of Parks and Recreation, said that the building had been closed most of the day on Saturday. Martin said that there was an exercise class held in the facility early in the morning. He said that workers had been inside the building on Friday refinishing some of the floors in the lobby and other areas. 

Martin said that he had gone inside the building and that smoke from the fire had infiltrated much of the structure. Martin said the building will be closed on Monday but should reopen soon thereafter.

Anyone who may have information that could assist in the investigation is urged to call the city’s confidential tip line at 423-867-0016.