MLG DIVERTED TO LAND DUE TO CABIN FIRE.

Narrative

WHILE PASSING OVER BUFFALO ENRTE TO ROCHESTER; NY; THE FIRST FLT ATTENDANT (FFA) CAME INTO THE COCKPIT. HE RPTED TO US THAT SMOKE AND SOME SMALL FLAMES WERE COMING OUT OF A SIDEWALL LIGHTING FIXTURE AT SEATS 8A-B-C. HE HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER; AND SAID HE WANTED TO SPRAY SOME HALON INTO THE AREA WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM; EVEN THOUGH IT APPEARED THE FIRE WAS OUT. WE AUTH HIM TO DO THIS AS A PRECAUTION; JUST IN CASE THERE WAS A CONCEALED FIRE. THE CAPT AND I DECIDED TO LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE WERE TALKING TO BUFFALO APCH AT THE TIME; AND ARRANGED A DIVERSION TO BUFFALO ARPT; SINCE IT WAS THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT. WE ARRANGED TO HAVE CFR EQUIP STAND BY FOR OUR LNDG. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE FFA; WE DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE APPEARED TO BE OUT; AND THAT AN EVAC WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY. THE APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. AFTER LNDG A CFR CREW BOARDED THE AIRPLANE. THE CFR CREW INSPECTED WHERE THE FIRE OCCURRED. THEY REMOVED PANELS COVERING THE LIGHTING FIXTURE. THE CFR CREW DISCOVERED A BALLAST USED TO PWR THE FLUORESCENT LIGHTS IN THE SIDEWALL TO BE BURNED AND SHORTED OUT. THERE WAS NO FURTHER FIRE TO BE FOUND. THE CFR CREW LEFT; AND THE FAA; ALONG WITH NTSB AUTH MECHS; FURTHER INSPECTED THE LIGHTING FIXTURE. THE AIRPLANE WAS RELEASED; AND THEN FERRIED TO CHICAGO. EVEN THOUGH THE EVENT WAS MINOR; OUR CREW TOOK EVERY NECESSARY PRECAUTION TO INSURE THE UTMOST SAFETY OF THE PAX; AIRPLANE; AND FELLOW CREWMEMBERS. THE OVERALL OUTCOME WAS UNEVENTFUL; AND NO PAX WERE HURT OR OVERLY DISTRESSED. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT LIGHTING FIXTURES ON OLDER AIRPLANES (THIS ONE WAS ABOUT 25 YRS OLD) BE PERIODICALLY INSPECTED TO PREVENT A FUTURE OCCURRENCE. A BALLAST IS AN INEXPENSIVE PART; AND CAN BE REPLACED WITH LITTLE EFFORT.