Careless smoking was blamed for an early morning fire today at a Butler apartment. A firefighter suffered a minor injury during the call, authorities said.

Damage was estimated at $35,000 in the fire on the 400 block of Zeigler Avenue that displaced the family that lives there, said Butler Fire Capt. Jim Kaufman.

The fire department got the call shortly after 12:10 a.m. and found a burning couch in the living room of the one-bedroom apartment. The apartment is one of four units in a two-story cinder block house that is owned by Alpine Apartments.

Firefighters used a hose line to quickly put out the fire that was in one of the first-floor apartments where a family of five was living. Two friends also had been visiting there

They were all visiting a neighbor in one of the upstairs apartments when the fire started.

A teenage boy discovered the fire after returning to the apartment.

Occupants acknowledged they had been smoking on the couch earlier that evening. Kaufman said he believes a smoldering ash ignited the couch.

Read more about this fire in Sunday's Butler Eagle.