HOULTON – The Houlton Fire Department responded Tuesday afternoon to a call from Wal-Mart after the smell of smoke in the store’s office area prompted store personnel to call for assistance.

Houlton firefighters and ambulance personnel arrived at 1:30 p.m. to find smoke coming from a heating vent, Fire Chief Milton Cone said.

A quick-thinking manager at the store shut off the power source and prevented any damage.

The source of the problem was an electric motor on the roof that had burned out, Jeff Coulin, a Wal-Mart manager, said.

“There was an odor and there was a bit of smoke, but I don’t think many customers were even aware of the problem,” Cone said.

A crowd of shoppers on their way into the store gathered to watch in the parking lot as firefighters worked at the scene.

There was not enough smoke to activate the store’s fire alarm, and the store did not have to be evacuated, according to Cone.