POULSBO — What could have quickly turned into a major fire ended up being not much more than smoldering napkins on a sidewalk in downtown Poulsbo.

A call to the Poulsbo Fire Department just before 10 a.m. brought emergency crews to Saisons Boutique, where items on a display case had caught fire.

Poulsbo Fire Department spokeswoman Jody Matson said there is some minor smoke damage and damage to a glass case and surrounding items. Both the building and business owner are insured.

The apparent cause: a glass ball that magnified the sunlight onto napkins either on the same shelf, or a shelf below.

An employee of the boutique was just opening for business when she saw the smoke. Coincidentally, retired fire marshal Bob Nordness was passing by when the incident occurred. According to the employee, Nordness removed the burning items quickly from the building.

“It could have been horrible,” the employee said, adding it would have taken just minutes more for the fire to cause major damage.

Matson said not too much longer and the fire could have been much worse. Many downtown Poulsbo buildings were built before the newer fire codes. Business lack fire walls and, in the case of Saisons, there is no sprinkler system in place.