Firefighters warning to keep mirrors away from windows after huge blaze
16 March 2022, 11:39 | Updated: 16 March 2022, 13:21
East Sussex fire service have warned people not to leave mirrors near window sills after a fire broke out.
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Firefighters are urging people to keep their mirrors out of direct sunlight as it could create a serious hazard.
The warning comes from East Sussex FRS after they attended a devastating fire at a two storey building in Horam.
After containing the blaze, the team suspected the flames were caused by the sun reflecting off a magnified mirror.
They Tweeted: “Last month, we attended a devastating fire in #Horam.
“It is believed that the fire was caused by the sun reflecting off a mirror.
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“The sun is very low at this time of year & we are urging everyone to move objects such as mirrors away from windows.”
The service also shared a photo of the blaze, which completely destroyed at the home.
Fire investigator Jake Brooks told Tyla ‘the sun’s rays can be concentrated by reflective or focusing objects.’
He added: "It is a common problem seen by other Fire and Rescue Services as well as by this Service.
“These incidents tend to occur in rooms with south facing windows and when the sun is lower so we’re asking everyone to take a look to see whether they could be at risk.”
This comes just a few weeks after Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service (MFRS) asked the same thing of their local people after sunlight reflecting off mirrors caused two serious fires in six days.
Thankfully no one was injured, but there was a lot of damage done to the properties.
Group Manager Mark Thomas said at the time: “Take a look around your home – if you have magnifying mirrors or other items such as glass ornaments or paperweights, please make sure they are kept out of direct sunlight or where the sun can reflect from them onto other items.
“Never leave shaving or vanity mirrors on windowsills – this is a recipe for disaster. It’s also really important to keep aerosols or any other flammable items out of direct sunlight too.”
