Do not leave magnifying mirrors on windowsills, warn fire chiefs after house fire sparked by reflecting sunlight
A blaze tore through a home in Poole, Dorset on Saturday after the sun reflected off a mirror, setting a curtain and blind alight. The fire service has now told families not to leave mirrors by windows.
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Published: 10:12 GMT, 29 December 2025 | Updated: 10:45 GMT, 29 December 2025
Fire chiefs have warned people not to leave magnifying mirrors on windowsills after a house fire was sparked by reflecting sunlight.
A blaze tore through a home in Poole, Dorset on Saturday after the sun reflected off a mirror, setting a curtain and blind alight.
Following the inferno, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service told families not to leave curved glass ornaments or mirrors next to windows in their houses.
The service, which has tackled several similar incidents in the area recently, explained these objects act as lenses for the sun and can start fires.
A spokesman said: 'The service has been called to a number of fires in recent years where the most likely cause was sunlight reflecting off a mirror.
'Where you have a mirror or any other glass object, such as an ornament, that is curved, this allows the glass to act as a lens.
'When the sunlight hits it, it becomes concentrated and, if the rays are bounced onto something flammable – such as curtains or soft furnishings – then a fire can start.
'The principle is the same as using a magnifying glass to start a fire. It does depend on the angle of the sun, but any mirror or glass ornament with a curve in it should never be left on a windowsill or by a window.'
Fire chiefs have warned people not to leave magnifying mirrors on windowsills after a house fire in Poole, Dorset, pictured, was sparked by reflecting sunlight
Curtains caught fire in a house in Rickling Green, Saffron Walden in January after sunlight passed through a magnifying glass in the property.
In March, a makeup mirror, resting on a bedside cabinet, led to curtains setting alight in Crowborough, East Sussex.
A spokesman for Poole Fire Station said: 'Firefighters from Poole attended a property fire caused by sunlight reflecting off a magnifying mirror and setting a curtain and blind alight.
'Luckily, the occupiers raised the alarm when they could smell smoke and were able to evacuate the property.'