A houseplant caught fire as a result of the high temperatures Bristol is experiencing. On Sunday afternoon, Eliza Llewellyn noticed an "odd burning smell" in her living room, but couldn't locate the cause.
Then she realised that one of her houseplants, which is placed next to a window with the blinds open, had caught fire, resulting in a large, singed hole and black burn marks on the plant. This incident came as a shock to Eliza and her boyfriend, who live together.
Bristol Live contacted Avon Fire and Rescue after the incident, and they have confirmed that the likelihood of incidents like this in hot weather is a 'real risk'. They have issued some guidance for houseplant owners to keep safe during the heatwave.
Read more: One 'casualty' and two dogs rescued from Bristol house fire
Eliza, spoke to Bristol Live about the circumstances that led to the houseplant fire. She said, "On Sunday afternoon there was an odd burning smell. On Monday morning I woke up and found a huge hole in my cheese plant! After checking it for bugs, we realised there were black burn marks on the leaf.
"We'd left the blinds open right next to the cheese plant. I have a feeling that the mirror opposite the plant and window managed to start a small fire on the leaf, which is what I must have smelt on Sunday afternoon. We've now kept the windows shut and have moved the mirror. Hopefully my precious cheese plant will recover!"
Avon Fire and Rescue spoke with Bristol Live about the likelihood of houseplant fires as a result of the hot weather we are experiencing. They said: "The sun’s rays are extremely powerful, and can be easily magnified by glass objects such as mirrors, drinking glasses, lenses and fishbowls.
"Never keep these and other glass objects close to windows or in direct sunlight. To assess and reduce their risk, we would encourage everyone to complete a free home fire safety check online using this easy form."
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