Small fire extinguished at motel

A Lawrence police officer used a fire extinguisher to put out a smoldering object in a stairwell about 6:15 a.m. Friday at Days Inn, 730 Iowa.

Police were originally called to the hotel for a trespassing call but did not take a report. Division Chief Eve Tolefree, a Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical spokeswoman, said the fire was out before firefighters arrived. The fire was started because of improper discarding of smoking material and that it did less than $500 in damage.