Narrative:

Flight was scheduled as a non stop trip from mia to bos, but because of aircraft structural weight limitations, had to make a planned fuel stop at bwi. The flight was normal in all other respects. Approaching providence during descent the aft F/a notified the cockpit that there was smoke in the aft left lav and that the smoke alarm had gone off. She said she thought someone had thrown a cigarette in the trash bin and she wanted to use a fire extinguisher on it. I concurred and also sent the second officer back to see what was happening. When the second officer returned a few mins later he said there was no more smoke and no scorching, but some burned paper in the ash tray. The F/a's had used 2 water and 2 halon fire extinguishers. One water and one halon extinguisher did not work. Since the situation was well under control, according to reports from both the second officer and the senior F/a, I elected to continue to bos. I turned on the no smoking sign since we only had the cockpit fire extinguisher and aircraft water available to fight any further fires. Upon arrival at bos I personally inspected the area and saw no signs of fire. I don't believe there was enough heat generated to discharge the trash box fire extinguisher. I also inspected the CO2 cartridge in the water fire extinguisher that failed--it had been punctured but I could not determine whether or not it was a fresh puncture. The F/a's performed in an exemplary manner and should be commended for their actions in this potentially serious incident. After deplaning a family approached the senior F/a in the terminal and said they thought their young son was responsible for the smoke in the lav. Supplemental information from acn 84767: I believe the F/a's should have notified the cockpit sooner. I am concerned that this potentially hazardous situation will happen more often when the no smoking law goes into effect.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWO PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS FAIL WHILE FIGHTING SMOKE IN ACFT LAVATORY.

Narrative: FLT WAS SCHEDULED AS A NON STOP TRIP FROM MIA TO BOS, BUT BECAUSE OF ACFT STRUCTURAL WT LIMITATIONS, HAD TO MAKE A PLANNED FUEL STOP AT BWI. THE FLT WAS NORMAL IN ALL OTHER RESPECTS. APCHING PROVIDENCE DURING DSCNT THE AFT F/A NOTIFIED THE COCKPIT THAT THERE WAS SMOKE IN THE AFT LEFT LAV AND THAT THE SMOKE ALARM HAD GONE OFF. SHE SAID SHE THOUGHT SOMEONE HAD THROWN A CIGARETTE IN THE TRASH BIN AND SHE WANTED TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER ON IT. I CONCURRED AND ALSO SENT THE S/O BACK TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. WHEN THE S/O RETURNED A FEW MINS LATER HE SAID THERE WAS NO MORE SMOKE AND NO SCORCHING, BUT SOME BURNED PAPER IN THE ASH TRAY. THE F/A'S HAD USED 2 WATER AND 2 HALON FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. ONE WATER AND ONE HALON EXTINGUISHER DID NOT WORK. SINCE THE SITUATION WAS WELL UNDER CTL, ACCORDING TO RPTS FROM BOTH THE S/O AND THE SENIOR F/A, I ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO BOS. I TURNED ON THE NO SMOKING SIGN SINCE WE ONLY HAD THE COCKPIT FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ACFT WATER AVAILABLE TO FIGHT ANY FURTHER FIRES. UPON ARR AT BOS I PERSONALLY INSPECTED THE AREA AND SAW NO SIGNS OF FIRE. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS ENOUGH HEAT GENERATED TO DISCHARGE THE TRASH BOX FIRE EXTINGUISHER. I ALSO INSPECTED THE CO2 CARTRIDGE IN THE WATER FIRE EXTINGUISHER THAT FAILED--IT HAD BEEN PUNCTURED BUT I COULD NOT DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS A FRESH PUNCTURE. THE F/A'S PERFORMED IN AN EXEMPLARY MANNER AND SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR ACTIONS IN THIS POTENTIALLY SERIOUS INCIDENT. AFTER DEPLANING A FAMILY APCHED THE SENIOR F/A IN THE TERMINAL AND SAID THEY THOUGHT THEIR YOUNG SON WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SMOKE IN THE LAV. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 84767: I BELIEVE THE F/A'S SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED THE COCKPIT SOONER. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION WILL HAPPEN MORE OFTEN WHEN THE NO SMOKING LAW GOES INTO EFFECT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.