Almost Disaster on out first trip....

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Tar Ten

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Whilst relaxing with a coffee enjoying the scenery of the now cleared Cairngorms my better half noticed a burning smell...
Only thing running was the fridge on gas...no lights or anything.
Partner then noticed at the top of the side window smoke accumulating and a bright spot by one of the lights on the under cupboard lining... Quickly telling me the light was burning...
Looked at main panel...lights off , no other lights on...
Went closer myself to notice that it wasnt the lights..they were off but definate burning from bright spot where i couod see it blackened..
Grabbed a damp cloth to cover it...

Well....

It turns out my partners handbag was on the seat next to the window.
The sun was shining through...hit the mirror and reflected the light back up onto the underneath..
I can only assume as it was a magnified mirror it created the beam of heat like a magnifying glass ...

Lucky we were not out on a walk...
 

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Tar Ten said:
Whilst relaxing with a coffee enjoying the scenery of the now cleared Cairngorms my better half noticed a burning smell...
Only thing running was the fridge on gas...no lights or anything.
Partner then noticed at the top of the side window smoke accumulating and a bright spot by one of the lights on the under cupboard lining... Quickly telling me the light was burning...
Looked at main panel...lights off , no other lights on...
Went closer myself to notice that it wasnt the lights..they were off but definate burning from bright spot where i couod see it blackened..
Grabbed a damp cloth to cover it...

Well....

It turns out my partners handbag was on the seat next to the window.
The sun was shining through...hit the mirror and reflected the light back up onto the underneath..
I can only assume as it was a magnified mirror it created the beam of heat like a magnifying glass ...

Lucky we were not out on a walk...
Click to expand...
I hope/think you were just unlucky with how the handbag was placed.
It’s not a common issue in my limited experience.
 
I worked with a guy whose house caught fire due to a make up mirror left on a window sill and reflecting/magnifying the suns rays.
 
How lucky you were in the motorhome. Lucky you’d not left the handbag where it was and gone out on a long walk. :Eeek: It’ll be a talking point for years to come.
( we once owned a car that had two slight dents, low down on one side. Trading the car in salesman asked how that happened. “Elephants tusks“ says husband “ it tried to turn the car over” Guy didn’t believe him but a true story, Longleat c1978, stopped to admire baby elephant, two kids in back of car, Mummy Elephant decides she’ll just walk into the car, and kept walking, car lifted on one side. )
 
Dangerous things hand bags.
Remember weighing my mums years ago well over 1 kg.
bottomless pit that bag
 
We once had a glass sphere on our hall table, until I noticed it was reflecting and concentrating the sun onto the curtain, which had a nice burn mark on it, again had we left it longer could have set file to the curtains.

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Apparently a similar issue with Cut Crystal Objects too?. Stories about where soft furnishings have caught alight. Allegedly as result of sunlight being concentrated on a small spot.
 
Hollyberry said:
How lucky you were in the motorhome. Lucky you’d not left the handbag where it was and gone out on a long walk. :Eeek: It’ll be a talking point for years to come.
( we once owned a car that had two slight dents, low down on one side. Trading the car in salesman asked how that happened. “Elephants tusks“ says husband “ it tried to turn the car over” Guy didn’t believe him but a true story, Longleat c1978, stopped to admire baby elephant, two kids in back of car, Mummy Elephant decides she’ll just walk into the car, and kept walking, car lifted on one side. )
Click to expand...
We had similar in the 1970's. A new Rover SD1. Took the kids to Knowsley Safari Park and made the mistake of slowing down in the lion enclosure. Garage mechanic thought we were joking when he saw the chewed bumper with huge holes where the lion's canine teeth went through
 
I must admit it was a bit of a butt clencher when awake during the daytime.. hate to think if it had been if we were having a cheeky siesta...
 
Plastic water bottles left on seat will achieve the same effect
So easy to be dropping a clinker :Eeek:
 
Some of the things, the Ladies call handbags, are the size my Mother used for her weeks grocery shop!. And weigh twice as much!. I think its the two house bricks in the bottom?. Should they be licenced as Deadly Weapons?.
 
Tar Ten said:
Whilst relaxing with a coffee enjoying the scenery of the now cleared Cairngorms my better half noticed a burning smell...
Only thing running was the fridge on gas...no lights or anything.
Partner then noticed at the top of the side window smoke accumulating and a bright spot by one of the lights on the under cupboard lining... Quickly telling me the light was burning...
Looked at main panel...lights off , no other lights on...
Went closer myself to notice that it wasnt the lights..they were off but definate burning from bright spot where i couod see it blackened..
Grabbed a damp cloth to cover it...

Well....

It turns out my partners handbag was on the seat next to the window.
The sun was shining through...hit the mirror and reflected the light back up onto the underneath..
I can only assume as it was a magnified mirror it created the beam of heat like a magnifying glass ...

Lucky we were not out on a walk...
Click to expand...
Try explaining that one to the insurance company ... sunshine in the Cairngorms!
 
London Fire Brigade Watch Manager, Andy Vaughan-Davies, of the Fire Investigation Team, explains how it isn't a myth that sunlight can cause fire when shining onto mirrors and glass objects.

 
Riverbankannie said:
On our little trip away this week, the drawer came out of it’s runner. I have to say it could not have been fixed without the aid of my makeup mirror. A very useful tool to have!
Click to expand...
Tar Ten said:
Whilst relaxing with a coffee enjoying the scenery of the now cleared Cairngorms my better half noticed a burning smell...
Only thing running was the fridge on gas...no lights or anything.
Partner then noticed at the top of the side window smoke accumulating and a bright spot by one of the lights on the under cupboard lining... Quickly telling me the light was burning...
Looked at main panel...lights off , no other lights on...
Went closer myself to notice that it wasnt the lights..they were off but definate burning from bright spot where i couod see it blackened..
Grabbed a damp cloth to cover it...

Well....

It turns out my partners handbag was on the seat next to the window.
The sun was shining through...hit the mirror and reflected the light back up onto the underneath..
I can only assume as it was a magnified mirror it created the beam of heat like a magnifying glass ...

Lucky we were not out on a walk...
Click to expand...
You were unlucky in a way. But having a new motorhome one will have to get tuned to the pros and cons of it all. Take care for these small things that might happen unexpectedly.
 
That was lucky, glad it didn’t cause any more damage!
I thought you were going to say it was caused by hand sanitizer - if this is left in the car/van on a warm day it can spontaneously combust, there are some shocking pictures of peoples doors etc that have gone up in flames!
 
Off da Grid said:
Dangerous things hand bags.
Remember weighing my mums years ago well over 1 kg.
bottomless pit that bag
Click to expand...

Dangerous thinks mummy elephants 🐘
 
Hand sanitizer can do the same ALCOHOL☀️🔥🔥

no that would not be left that long😀

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Our bedroom caught fire one January when the sun was low in the sky and a magnifying mirror on a dressing table in the window set fire to the curtains. Luckily the fire burnt itself out in the bedroom but the whole of the upstairs was smoke damaged.
 
Hollyberry said:
How lucky you were in the motorhome. Lucky you’d not left the handbag where it was and gone out on a long walk. :Eeek: It’ll be a talking point for years to come.
( we once owned a car that had two slight dents, low down on one side. Trading the car in salesman asked how that happened. “Elephants tusks“ says husband “ it tried to turn the car over” Guy didn’t believe him but a true story, Longleat c1978, stopped to admire baby elephant, two kids in back of car, Mummy Elephant decides she’ll just walk into the car, and kept walking, car lifted on one side. )
Click to expand...
Seen that for myself in Tanzania when a tour jeep came between ours and this youngish elephant which gave the interloper an almighty shove, dents only fortunately. Mind you if push came to shove (forgive this pun) the drivers all carried rifles.
 
Camdoon said:
Lucky escape for your 2 Rolexes, £3,000 in cash and top of the range Mac and iPad.
Click to expand...

Afraid being in the insurance world and seeing claims does make one rather cynical - but have to say being burgled ourselves cured me of that.

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