A fire this afternoon destroyed a small cottage in Kihei, displacing a man who rented it.

A Maui fire inspector found that the fire was accidentally caused by smoldering debris in a trash can located in the living room.

The fire caused an estimated $35,000 in damage to the 700-square-foot structure and $10,000 to its contents, a fire official said.

The American Red Cross is assisting the man with shelter, food and clothing.

Maui firefighters responded to the fire at 3:40 p.m. at 3500 Kehala Drive. The fire was brought under control at 3:56 p.m.