Narrative:

After pushback from the gate at dfw, a flight attendant came forward and said there was smoke in the cabin coming out of a ceiling panel. One of the flight attendants took a fire extinguisher and investigated the source of the smoke. They advised me a moment later that the smoke had stopped and 2 of the fluorescent lights in the ceiling panel were now inoperative. I concluded that a ballast had burned out and we proceeded for takeoff. Prior to takeoff, my first officer went back and inspected the area. He reported that it was cool to the touch and the smoke had ceased. We proceeded to tul without further incident. In retrospect, I believe it would have been prudent to return to the gate and let maintenance personnel verify the situation.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG EXPERIENCES SMOKE IN CABIN AND FLC DETERMINES IT IS FROM A NOW DEFUNCT BALLAST FROM THE LIGHTING SYS. PIC PERFORMS TKOF TO DEST ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE AT DFW, A FLT ATTENDANT CAME FORWARD AND SAID THERE WAS SMOKE IN THE CABIN COMING OUT OF A CEILING PANEL. ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS TOOK A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND INVESTIGATED THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE. THEY ADVISED ME A MOMENT LATER THAT THE SMOKE HAD STOPPED AND 2 OF THE FLUORESCENT LIGHTS IN THE CEILING PANEL WERE NOW INOP. I CONCLUDED THAT A BALLAST HAD BURNED OUT AND WE PROCEEDED FOR TKOF. PRIOR TO TKOF, MY FO WENT BACK AND INSPECTED THE AREA. HE RPTED THAT IT WAS COOL TO THE TOUCH AND THE SMOKE HAD CEASED. WE PROCEEDED TO TUL WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. IN RETROSPECT, I BELIEVE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PRUDENT TO RETURN TO THE GATE AND LET MAINT PERSONNEL VERIFY THE SITUATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.