Fire investigators have confirmed an unusual cause behind a house fire in Boston earlier this week, something more commonly seen outdoors than inside a home.
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue were called to a domestic property on Oxford Street at 6:47pm on Tuesday 21 April, where four crews from Boston, Leverton and Kirton attended a fire affecting a first-floor bedroom.
Firefighters used breathing apparatus, hose reels and ladders to tackle the blaze, which caused severe damage to one bedroom and smoke damage throughout the first floor of the property.
Following an investigation, crews have now confirmed the cause of the fire was sunlight refracting through a glass object, an incident they say is not something typically seen inside the home.
A spokesperson explained that this type of fire is more often linked to outdoor environments, where discarded glass bottles or objects left behind after picnics can focus sunlight onto dry grass, igniting it.
However, they warned that the same effect can happen indoors.
Glass can act like a magnifying lens, concentrating sunlight into a focused point. If that concentrated light lands on a material that can easily ignite, such as fabrics, paper or furnishings, it can start a fire.
Fire crews are reminding residents to be mindful of where glass objects are placed in the home, particularly in direct sunlight, to reduce the risk of similar incidents occurring.
