Warning over crystal balls causing house fire risk

[Evil Eye]

Crystal balls and glass ornaments should be kept away from windows, fire crews have warned after one caught the suns rays and caused a bedroom to catch fire.

Fire fighters had to be called after the rare few hours of sunshine at the weekend led to the suns rays being refracted through a crystal ball on a window sill, causing a pair of curtains to catch alight and the fire to engulf a bedroom.

Crews are now warning people to keep crystal balls, glass bottles and ornaments away from windows to avoid more fires.

In the last five years shaving mirrors and glass objects refracting light were responsible for 33 fires in London, according to London Fire Brigade. Crews said during the summer months they caused around one fire a month and were more common fire risks than people expect.

Mick Boyle, fire investigation officer at London Fire Brigade, said: "You can't predict the future, but you can prevent this type of fire by keeping glass ornaments, mirrors, and bottles away from sunny window sills.”

A man had been asleep in the room when the curtains caught fire and the flames spread across the room of the house in Romford in Essex on Saturday afternoon.

He and a woman tried to put out the fire with a hose and some towels before they realised it was too strong and had to escape the house and call the fire brigade.

Mr Boyle added: “The blaze caused severe damage to the bedroom but thankfully no one was hurt.

"The man, who was asleep in the bedroom when the fire started, was woken up by the smoke alarm going off. That smoke alarm saved his life - he could easily have slept through and been overcome by smoke."

He also warned against using hoses and towels to put fires out and urged people to call emergency services rather than try to tackle them on their own.

Earlier this month firefighters warned about the dangers of using wheat bags, often used to soothe aching muscles, after 83-year-old Norma Hickey is believed to have died when she put one in her bed to warm it.

It is thought the bag, which is heated up in the microwave, was wrapped in bed linen and continued to generate heat before catching fire.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/10660160/Warning-over-crystal-balls-causing-house-fire-risk.html


I would not have thought.

 

[Nebulous]

Makes sense though.

 

[Evil Eye]

Indeed, but I doubt I would've ever considered it.