Helensburgh Advertiser | News | Mirrir blaze drama at flat

Wednesday, 7th January, 2009

Published: Thursday, 9th October, 2008 08:30

Mirrir blaze drama at flat

By Steve McElroy

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A WOMAN’S shopping trip almost ended in disaster when she returned home to find her flat filled with smoke — because of a magnifying mirror.

Shocked Olivia Agate tried desperately to find the cause of the fire but was unable to and called Helensburgh Fire Service.

But, initially, even the firefighters were unable to find the seat of the outbreak — until one fireman discovered a smouldering chair and clothes. Only then was it realised the sun’s rays coming through the window were being magnified by the mirror and deflected onto the clothes.

The fire occurred last Friday in the woman’s home in West Clyde Street on one of the few sunny days.

Olivia said: “It seems to have been a freak occurrence. I went out shopping for about four hours and when I returned the house was full of smoke.

“I was running around trying to find what was on fire and I couldn’t see anything. I thought it must be electrical. There are shops below me, and I checked there, and an empty flat above me, but there was nothing coming from there either.

I called the fire brigade and it first they couldn’t find anything either, then one of the men discovered four items of clothing smouldering on a wooden chair in the bedroom. It was caused by a magnifying mirror which the sun had shone on and reflected heat back onto the clothes."

See this week's Advertiser for the full story.

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