Home & Garden House Fire Started By Sun Reflecting Off A Mirror?

Echoes

Echoes

O.G.
Aug 8, 2008
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#1
PARAMUS — It wasn’t the howling wind or a foot of snow that did the damage to the house at 16 Ferdale Road. It was the sun, authorities say.

Once the storm passed, the sun shone brightly Saturday — too brightly for a pile of clothes in a second-floor bedroom.

A fire that broke out Saturday afternoon is believed to have been caused by the sun beaming through the window and onto a mirror, which then focused a powerful beam onto a pile of clothes.

“This may seem strange, but it looks like the sun reflecting off the mirror and onto the pile of clothes started the fire,” said Lt. Barbara Steinberg of the Paramus Police. “We’re still investigating, but that’s what it appears to be.”

Three people were home when smoke began to fill the house shortly before 12:30 p.m. They all escaped the blaze, but the fire damaged the second-floor bedroom. Paramus firefighters rushed to the scene and put out the blaze; but Steinberg said there was damage to the rear of the home.

No one was injured. Steinberg was uncertain as to the extent of the damage, but said the utilities to the house had been cut off as firefighters battled the blaze. She was uncertain when the family would be allowed to return.
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http://www.northjersey.com/news/Reflected_sunlight_blamed_for_fire_in_Paramus.html
 
#2
Interesting stuff. Seems possible that it could happen, especially on a very hot day and if the clothes were made of particularly flammable material. It seems not unlike how you can use a magnifying glass to set things on fire.
 
#5
tiffanystar said:
Scary stuff, must admit I have moved a big gkass paperweight off my windowsill after reading a smiliar story regarding them.
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My MIL had a glass paperweight on the windowsill that set light to her curtains!

And last year, I had two garden mirrors on a fence. They reflected light onto one of my hanging baskets of flowers and started a fire.

I sunbathing in front of the hanging baskets with my headphones in (oblivious that a fire had started) and could smell smoke and I thought 'Oh I fancy a BBQ tonight' LOL - it was my neighbour next door that banged on his window upstairs that finally got my attention and I spent the next 5 mins putting out the fire!

True story :smile:
 
#6
neenabengals said:
My MIL had a glass paperweight on the windowsill that set light to her curtains!

And last year, I had two garden mirrors on a fence. They reflected light onto one of my hanging baskets of flowers and started a fire.

I sunbathing in front of the hanging baskets with my headphones in (oblivious that a fire had started) and could smell smoke and I thought 'Oh I fancy a BBQ tonight' LOL - it was my neighbour next door that banged on his window upstairs that finally got my attention and I spent the next 5 mins putting out the fire!

True story :smile:
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Good grief, very scary stuff.
 
#9
I read about a bathroom fire starting with a round pull out from the wall small mirror that had sunlight hit it through the windows. I think it caught the wall or towels on fire.
 
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