Sun reflecting on mirror starts house fire

The fire started in the bedroom and the occupants were alerted by a working smoke alarm and safely evacuated

A house fire which caused the ceiling to collapse was caused by a mirror reflecting the sun, a fire service said.

North Wales Fire and Rescue were called to a house on Mold Road in Wrexham at 17:33 BST on Thursday.

The residents safely evacuated and were not harmed due to a smoke alarm.

The fire had started to spread into the attic and an area of roof had to be cut away.

Community safety and arson reduction manager Jane Honey said: “While this type of fire may seem like one of the more unusual cases, in principle it is the same as focussing the sun's rays with a magnifying glass."