ENDICOTT, NY (607NewsNow) — Authorities in Broome County said a “careless act” led to a fire.

On Oct. 29, the Endicott Fire Department responded to a burning dumpster filled with debris. Authorities said the flames were 15-feet high.

According to the department, the fire was knocked down before it could spread to a nearby structure. The cause of the fire was determined to be a cigarette that wasn’t properly put out.

“A cigarette takes seconds to discard,” the department said on Facebook. “The damage it can cause can last a lifetime.”