A couple has issued an urgent warning after a bedroom mirror set their house on fire.
Sam and Michael from Rochester, Kent, were at home at the time of the devastating blaze and were only alerted after their smoke alarms went off.
Two fire engines were scrambled as crews rescued Tigger, the family cat, and tackled the blaze with hose reel jets.
Pictures of the aftermath show the house completely gutted by the fire with a melted TV set and various items turned into charcoal.
The aftermath of a fire caused by a vanity mirror in a house in St Margaret’s Banks, Rochester, Kent
Sam and Michael from Rochester, Kent, were at home at the time of the devastating blaze
Kent Fire and Rescue Service believe that the fire in St Margaret’s Banks on July 18th was started when sunlight bounced off a vanity mirror and onto the pair’s bedroom curtains.
Michael said: ‘I was working in the office, which is directly under the room which caught fire, and I could smell burning, sort of like burnt toast.
‘I checked my fan to see if it was overheating, went downstairs to see if anyone was cooking, and then I heard the smoke alarm on the top floor go off.
‘I ran upstairs in a panic and screamed for Sam to wake up.
‘We got out as quickly as we could and called 999 for the fire service.’
While many items in the bedroom were destroyed, the fire was largely contained because the door was closed – limiting damage to the rest of the property.
Sam said: ‘We’d only just redecorated the room a few days before, so we weren’t sure what caused it.
Picture of the aftermath shows a melted TV set and various items turned into charcoal
Pictured, the bedroom mirror which fire crews believe may have caused the blaze after reflecting the sun
While many items in the bedroom were destroyed, the fire was largely contained because the door was closed
‘When the firefighters told us it was the mirror, we thought how can a mirror do that? It’s not something you think of.
‘Now we know anything reflective or shiny near a window where the sun hits it, could start a fire.
‘We’re sharing our story to help keep others safe and remind everyone to move reflective objects away from windowsills and out of direct sunlight.’
Michael added: ‘Our advice now is just be careful and educate people in your household about the dangers.
‘It’s one small preventable thing, that can have devastating effects.
‘We were lucky.’
