ATTLEBORO - Deputy Fire Chief Scott Jacques knows the old expression "where there's smoke, there's fire" all too well.

Jacques was on duty early Wednesday night when he drove by a mini plaza at 77 Pleasant St. and spotted smoke coming from behind the building.

The smoke turned out to be a raging trash bin fire that was close to the building and had ignited some adjacent brush and trees near the railroad tracks.

Jacques radioed fire headquarters about 7:15 p.m. to report the blaze.

Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire before it spread to the building, fire Capt. Al Murrant said. The cement brick building sustained only smoke scorch marks, he said. Firefighters were at the scene for about an hour overhauling and checking the roof for any signs of fire or damage, Murrant said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation, but was considered suspicious, Murrant said.