SMOKE AND MIRROR
Facebook video shows why you should NEVER leave mirror by window in sunshine as UK basks in heatwave
THIS horrifying footage shows how quickly a make-up mirror can start a deadly fire as Britain’s heatwave shows no sign of ending.
The dramatic video, filmed by Rebecca Thompson, shows a mirror on her windowsill creating a smouldering burn and billowing smoke in less than ten seconds after being left in direct sunlight.
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It shows how rapidly a fire can start when reflective objects are left exposed to sunlight, with the windowsill starting to smoke.
Issuing a warning on Facebook, Miss Thompson, from Norwich, said: “This is just a reminder to you, your family and friends not to leave mirrors on your windowsill.
“This was the magnified side of the mirror but it's easy to forget it's there when you only use one side... this was 6:44am this morning. I'm glad I caught it when I did.”
The video has been shared almost 90,000 times on Facebook with people saying they’d experienced the same thing.
After some questioned why she’d done it, Miss Thompson said: “I would just like to point out that it’s a nine second video in a controlled environment. I think the awareness is worth the nine seconds.”
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Magnifying beauty mirrors can concentrate the sun’s rays causing near-by objects, such as curtains, clothing, paper or furniture to set fire.
Anything that can concentrate the sun’s rays – like fish bowls or glasses of water – should be kept away from windows to reduce the risk of a fire breaking out.
Last month a make-up mirror caused a £1.5million home in Brentwood, Essex, to burn down.
It is believed the blaze at the five-bedroom detached property started after reflected sunlight caused wallpaper within the property to burst into flames.
It caused the roof to cave in within minutes, leaving the redbrick and timber home completely uninhabitable due to smoke and water damage.
In November, a fire at a house in Aylesbury started when sunrays were reflected on to a curtain by a mirror.
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The warning comes as parts of the UK are currently hotter than Athens in Greece.
Temperatures peaked on Monday at 30.1C (86.2F) in Hampton in west London, with all of the UK enjoying a rain-free sunny start to the week.
Train tracks buckled, fires raged through scorched moorland and overheating people struggled to sleep last night, and forecasters have predicted the trend could continue as we are in for a sunny few weeks.
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