A home was badly damaged and a dog died after a glass jar refraction the sun rays on Fielding Avenue in Twickenham.
The blaze destroyed a first floor bedroom and also damaged the roof while the family weren’t home. Brigade fire investigators believe that a chocolate spread container being used to collect loom bands on a window sill refracted low sun light catching blinds alight.
Charlie Pugsley, from the Brigade's fire investigation unit said: “It sounds far fetched that a jar containing a few rubber bands caused a severe house fire but that’s exactly what happened. It’s worth spending five minutes checking that your window ledges are clear of any glass or crystal that might lead to potentially life changing blaze.”
The fire on Sunday, 15 February was attended by four fire engines and 21 firefighters and officers from Twickenham and Feltham fire stations.
Details about the cause of this fire comes days after sunlight refracted off a mirror table at the Mayfair home of lingerie tycoon Michelle Mone, setting alight a bean bag, on Thursday (February 19).