Reminder issued over flammable items after fire breaks out near Kidderminster

A crew from Wyre Forest was sent to a bedroom blaze in Wolverley and discovered the fire had been extinguished – but there was considerable damage to the room.

The windowsill was badly damaged and there was charring and soot deposition in the room and glass had been broke by heat during the blaze at 8.30am on Tuesday.

Fire investigators concluded, after discussions with the homeowner, the fire had been caused by a box of medical dressings igniting after being left in direct sunlight.

This was despite the packaging clearly stating it should be kept away from sunlight and instead store in a cool, dry place. The packaging is believed to have ignited as a result of high ambient heat from the sunlight igniting paraffin in the dressings.

And although solid at room temperatures, paraffin beings to melt above about 37C (98.6F). The sunshine would have converged or refracted through the bedroom window’s two layers of double glazing.

Fire chiefs said in preparing to go out, the occupier believes they may have disturbed the packet while retrieving a bottle of perfume, likely increasing the ventilation level and fuelling the combustion.

Fire Investigation Officer, Group Commander Martin Lown, said: "It is vital that people both adhere to the instructions on packaging and keep objects out of direct sunlight, not just during the current heatwave when rooms can reach high temperatures, but even during cooler weather when sunshine through glass can ignite fires, both indoors and outdoors.

"Mirrors, glassware and glass bottles also pose a risk if they channel or magnetise the sun’s rays."