Have you ever thought about the risk of a house fire from just the sun?
Think about what happens to light when you focus it through a magnifying glass in summer. The energy from focused sun ray can be extremely dangerous if it's directed to nearby objects such as curtains, clothing, paper or furniture, which may cause a serious fire.
There are a number of unintentional fires caused by sunlight refracting through glass across the news.
In Jiangsu, Zhenjiang, one case caused a devastating fire to an apartment., It has been mostly burned down by the time the firefighters arrived.
The investigation by officers showed that the sunlight focused by a magnifying glass which was casually put on a box by the children resulted in the accident. When the fire happened, there were only two children in the apartment and they tried to put it out with water, but failed. Fortunately, the children left quickly and they were not injured.
Sometimes fires can be caused by everyday items out of your expectation. For example, a makeup mirror with two sides, one being a flat one and the other being a magnifying one which is used to see the details of the face. The magnifying side can focus sunlight.
"I put the makeup mirror and the computer in front of the window and the light reflecting off the mirror burned a hole in my computer screen." Reads a comment on the Internet.
The Ningbo Fire Brigade has launched an experiment about this phenomenon. They put a glass ball under the sun and directed the focused rays to a piece of newspaper. Soon, there emerged wisps of smoke, and a few minutes later the newspaper was burned to ashes.
They also placed perfume bottles, mineral water bottles and even prescription glasses with combustible materials. In a very short time, these objects began to heat up and ignite the nearby materials. According to the engineer of the Fire Brigade, the temperature of the focus point can reach 400 ℃ or above.
Cases of reflected light triggering fires are not rare and may have serious consequences. Therefore, the public should be aware of the potential danger of objects intensifying the sun ray.
To minimize the risk of a fire, make sure that any crystal and glass ornaments and reflective surfaces such as mirrors are kept out of direct sunlight and away from inflammable goods. Check where sunlight reaches and have a look around your home to ensure you aren't at risk.
Author | Lily (intern)
Editor | Wing, Olivia, Monica, Abby, Jerry
