‘Never thought about that’: Bizarre cause of huge house fire
Firefighters have determined the bizarre cause of a fire that tore through a family's living room, racking up more than $A320,000 in damages.
Delton Fire Department shared a series of eerie photos of the Wisconsin, US, home to Facebook after the blaze on March 8.
At around 4pm, the home owner arrived home and noticed smoke throughout the property and immediately called the authorities.
When emergency services arrived at the home on Fox Hill Road, smoke was billowing from the building, though the fire was isolated to the living room.
Pictures show the room covered in ash and charred walls.
Delton Fire Department said the fire started on the couch in the living room and was caused by a glass "crystal ball" ornament seen sitting on a table in images.
"The crystal ball had been located on a table near the couch and in direct sunlight," the fire department said.
"When sunshine came through a large set of windows and through the glass ball, it ignited the couch."
The firies said homeowners should keep items like crystals, mirrors, glass ornaments — and even bottles — away from direct sunlight and anything flammable.
"These items can act just like a magnifying glass and focus sunlight so that the energy, which would normally be spread out over a wide area, is delivered to a much smaller point," the fire department explained.
"Never would have thought about that. I guess that would go for yard decorations too," a Facebook user said in the comments.
"We used to burn ants on the sidewalk with a magnifying glass as children. We forget as adults," another person said.
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Others shared similar cautionary tales.
"I know of a house that my dad saved when he was younger due to a crystal ball starting the patio door drapes on fire," someone said.
Another person said someone from the company they worked for came home to a similar situation.
"They came home and could smell something burning," they explained.
"Found a small makeup mirror situated just right on a dresser, reflecting the sun back onto the window frame.....burning a hole into it. Something nobody really even thinks about. Sorry to see this."
Despite the fire being contained to the living room, the main level of the home sustained substantial heat damage and will cost $A321,999 to repair, Delton Fire Department said.
Fortunately, no injuries were sustained by the homeowner or the first responders.
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