Warning after freak bedroom fire in Fernhurst

The fire is believed to have started when reflected sunlight from a dressing table mirror set a candle alight on the bedroom windowsill which then caught the curtains alight.

Crews from Midhurst and Haslemere were called to the detached house on Hawksfold Lane East in Fernhurst just after 4pm after the owners returned home to hear their smoke detector and see smoke coming from the first floor of their home.

The couple, in their 70s, left the property and called 999.

On arrival, firefighters wearing breathing apparatus quickly extinguished the fire using hose reels preventing it from spreading to the rest of the house.

Watch Manager Nigel Gamblen from Midhurst fire station said afterwards:

“This may sound like a freak incident but actually it isn’t that uncommon. We’ve attended fires started in this way by mirrors and ornaments before, particularly during the winter months when the sun is very low.

Our advice is wherever possible make sure mirrors and glass ornaments are not in direct sunlight or on windowsills.”

“We would also like to remind people we offer free home safety visits in West Sussex for people over 65 or those with a disability. Call 0845 872 9719 or visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire to find out if you are eligible.”

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