What A Dumpster Fire!

Firemen from the Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) extinguishing a fire inside the walls of Classroom 171 during a dumpster fire at the Santa Monica College (SMC) Main Campus on Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, Calif. The fire ignited by a lit cigarette, burning the trash inside the dumpster and part of Math Classroom 171 in the Main Campus. (Jordi Garcia Sosa | The Corsair)

A dumpster ignited at Santa Monica College's main campus at around 2:45 Thursday, September 17, 2026. Police arrived about five to ten minutes later along with fire fighters. The blaze was speculated by campus police to be caused by a cigarette. (Demi Ramirez | Cosair)

Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) Fire Engine 5 packing up after extinguishing a dumpster fire at the Santa Monica College (SMC) Main Campus on Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, Calif. The fire ignited by a lit cigarette, burning the trash inside the dumpster and part of Math Classroom 171 in the Main Campus. (Jordi Garcia Sosa | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College (SMC) Students waiting at a bus stop while buses are being diverted away from the stop during a dumpster fire at the SMC Main Campus on Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, Calif. The fire ignited by a lit cigarette, burning the trash inside the dumpster and part of Math Classroom 171 in the Main Campus. (Jordi Garcia Sosa | The Corsair)

A person livestreaming the dumpster fire on the Citizen app at the SMC Main Campus on Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, Calif. The fire ignited by a lit cigarette, burning the trash inside the dumpster and part of Math Classroom 171 in the Main Campus. (Jordi Garcia Sosa | The Corsair)

Firemen from the Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) opening the roof and walls of Classroom 171 during a dumpster fire at the Santa Monica College (SMC) Main Campus on Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, Calif. The fire ignited by a lit cigarette, burning the trash inside the dumpster and part of Math Classroom 171 in the Main Campus. (Jordi Garcia Sosa | The Corsair)

Fire Fighters climb to the roof of a temporary building to extinguish a dumpster fire that ignited at Santa Monica College's main campus at around 2:45 Thursday, September 17, 2026. Police arrived about five to ten minutes later along with fire fighters. The blaze was speculated by campus police to be caused by a cigarette. (Demi Ramirez | Cosair)

Investigators examine the dumpster ignited next to Drescher Hall at Santa Monica College's main campus at around 2:45 Thursday, September 17, 2026. Police arrived about five to ten minutes later along with fire fighters. The blaze was speculated by campus police to be caused by a cigarette. (Demi Ramirez | Cosair)

A large trash fire broke out in a dumpster at Santa Monica College’s main campus at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, next to the Pico Village buildings on Pico Boulevard, according to an email from SMC Chief of Police Johnnie Adams. Flames rose as high as 10 feet before spreading to the exterior of one of the Pico Village classrooms. The Santa Monica Fire Department quickly extinguished the fire, and students were notified via text message alert at 3:31 p.m. 

SMC Police Department Sgt. Sonya Patterson said the incident is under investigation, but the cause was likely accidental and not intentional. “It appears that someone threw a cigarette in there and caught it on fire,” she said.  

No one was present inside the classroom when the fire broke out.

“There was no one injured, just damage to the side of the building,” Patterson said. Firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof to check that the fire hadn’t spread to the interior, and a large burn scar remained on the side of the building afterward. 

Students said they were surprised to see such a big fire on campus. “I saw the smoke from the other side of Drescher Hall,” said Brian Okitsu. 

Okitsu said he has a lighting class near the fire in the Pico Classroom Complex, but he remained optimistic repairs would be quick. “I’m sure we’ll be able to have class next week,” he said. 

Saylor Ward, another student who witnessed the fire, also mentioned it was right next to her classroom. “I turned the corner and saw flames all the way up the side of the building,” she said.  

Buses that normally ran down Pico were detoured for at least an hour while SMFD fought the fire. Ward said the fire started at an inopportune time, right as students were leaving afternoon classes – the start of rush hour at SMC. 

“I’m super pissed off cause my bus isn’t coming, so now I don’t know where to go,” Ward said. 

Jessica Rosette said she was concerned about fellow students’ first reaction being to record the fire for social media. She described seeing students rush over and pull out their phones and thinking, “Damn, they’re going straight to posting. What about, ‘are these people OK?’” Rosette continued, “I mean, I did ask if class was going to be canceled, but I was also worried about the civilians in the building,” she said.

Sergeant Patterson said there wouldn’t be any future dumpster fires, “if people didn’t throw lit cigarettes in a trash can.”