A B737-300 CREW; DURING CRUISE; WERE INFORMED BY A FLT ATTENDANT THAT A PAX SMOKING IN THE AFT LAVATORY HAD STARTED A FIRE IN THE TRASH CONTAINER; SUBSEQUENTLY HAVING BEEN PUT OUT BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS.

Narrative

ENRTE FROM DTW TO BNA; THE FLT ATTENDANTS INFORMED THE CAPT THAT A PAX WAS SMOKING THE AFT LAVATORY. AS A RESULT OF THIS THE PAX HAD STARTED A FIRE IN THE TRASH DISPOSAL IN THE AFT LAVATORY. THE FLT ATTENDANTS QUICKLY INFORMED THE CAPT THAT THE FIRE WAS OUT AND EVERYTHING WAS UNDER CTL. THE CAPT ASKED ME TO CALL BNA OPS AND ASK THEM TO HAVE SECURITY AND A CUSTOMER SVC SUPVR MEET THE ACFT. WHEN WE LANDED; WE CALLED MAINT AND INFORMED THEM THAT THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE TRASH DISPOSAL IN THE AFT LAVATORY AND THAT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS USED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MAINT HAD CLRED US TO CONTINUE. THEY ALSO REPLACED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER THAT WAS USED AND CLRED THE WRITE-UP IN THE LOGBOOK. ON MAR/TUE/02 ABOUT XB00; THE CHIEF PLT CONTACTED ME AT HOME. HE INFORMED ME THAT HE WOULD LIKE ME TO WRITE AN IRREGULARITY RPT AND FAX IT TO THE OFFICE. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE CAPT DID INFORM DISPATCH IN A TIMELY MANNER AND I SHOULD FILE A RPT AND FAX IT TO THEM WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED; FROM THE TIME THEY WERE INFORMED OF THE PAX SMOKING PROB UNTIL HIS REMOVAL AT DEST; THINGS WENT SMOOTHLY. APPARENTLY THE FAA HAS ISSUE WITH THE CAPT 'NOT INFORMING DISPATCH IN A TIMELY MANNER.'