Anyone ever heard of this happening?

[nitsua98]

This happened at my grandparents a few weeks ago.

They had a stained glass decoration hanging in their window. It happened to be at such an angle that at a certain time of day, it was reflected through a glass triangle. Apparantly it got so strong, that it ended up lighting the curtins on fire and almost burning the house down. Just wondering if anyone else has had anything like this.

[tfpd109]

Um, can't say that I've had that happen, or even heard of it happening. Interesting though. kinda makes ya wonder about some things.

[Chauffeur6]

Weird, don't think I've ever heard of that happening, but it's certainly possible. If the glass piece in question happened to be convex, or the combination of the stained glass piece with the triangle acted as a convex object, and that focused the sun's rays just right, then it would be no different than using a magnifying glass to ignite something. Interesting.

[firepics]

2 years ago, our fire inspector came up with this as a cause for a bedroom fire we had. It wasn't stained glass, but the older type of single pane window. I think he took the easy way out with his cause....

[lvwrench]

lawsuit

I think a lawsuit needs to filed against the maker of the stain glass piece for failing to warn about a potential fire hazard. After all isn't that the American way? I figure it is worth about the same amount as the McDoalds hot coffee in the lap. Seriously though I could see the probability of this sort of thing happening under perfect condiditons. Place this under the stranger than fiction category.

[Catch22]

If the triangle piece was concave/convex (whichever it is) like a magnifying glass, I could see how it could happen in a hurry.

[ffexpCP]

I remember seeing it in a textbook of mine. I think it was 'Kirk's fire investigation'.

[FlyingKiwi]

simple way to remember.

ConCave Caves in

A magnifying glass is Convex.

[BFDNJFF]

I can see it now churches bursting into flames every where !

[REVANANT]

I remember reading about this as a cause of a fire in a high rise in NYC in the 1950's. There was a make-up mirror (magnifying) that was on a window sill, the sun hit it just right and the "V" pattern could be seen on the wall where the suns rays were focused. Kinda like the Archimedes shields starting a fire. Mythbusters did that one not too long ago and proved that the circumstances had to be just right to get it to work.

Larry

[NonSurfinCaFF]

I've heard of wildland fires supposedly being started by a glass bottle laying in the sun. Again not common but I guess if the conditions are just right it is possible.

[nyckftbl]

2 years ago, our fire inspector came up with this as a cause for a bedroom fire we had. It wasn't stained glass, but the older type of single pane window. I think he took the easy way out with his cause....

Hey, its better than "yeah it was electrical"!

[ffexpCP]

I can see it now churches bursting into flames every where !

Holy smokes!

[clancyxdogg]

I remember reading about this as a cause of a fire in a high rise in NYC in the 1950's. There was a make-up mirror (magnifying) that was on a window sill, the sun hit it just right and the "V" pattern could be seen on the wall where the suns rays were focused. Kinda like the Archimedes shields starting a fire. Mythbusters did that one not too long ago and proved that the circumstances had to be just right to get it to work.

Larry

I have an area of char on one of my house's window casings about one inch wide by six inches long. The previous owner said his wife's make up mirror had been mounted across from there and they returned home one sunny day to find the room full of smoke. Strange but true, I guess.

[ChiefReason]

So, "sun catchers" are actually "heat catchers"?
I need more data.
You see them everywhere.
I'm still going to blame it on a house pet.
"Electrical" causes is just way over-used.
But a crack smoking monkey?
Happens more than you think.
CR