Safety advice after sunlight sparks minor Mexborough blaze

The fire service said such fires were particularly common in autumn and spring when the sun is lower in the sky.

A chrome window handle sparked a small fire at a house on Avocet Close, Mexborough, on Sunday at 8.30am.

Scorch marks on a window frame were discovered by the occupant and Dearne firefighters attended the property as a precaution. 

There was minimal fire damage and no-one was hurt.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue (SYFR) said there were no ornaments between the blind and the window, leaving the most probable cause to be sunlight reflecting off the chrome window handles.

SYFR group manager Simon Dunker, said: “These sort of incidents are not as rare as you would think, particularly at this time of year when the sun is getting lower. 

“I would urge everyone to ensure they have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home and know what to do in the event of a fire.”

Elsewhere in the UK, fires are reported to have been started by anything from glass door knobs and shaving mirrors, to jars of Nutella.

SYFR sunlight fire safety tips are:

• Keep concave mirrors and crystal or glass objects away from sunny sills and flammable materials.
• Fit at least one smoke alarm per floor and test them every week to make sure they work and the batteries are not flat.
• If you have a fire, close the door on the blaze, get out, stay out and call 999