Magnifying Glass Caused House Fire In Greenfield: Report

GREENFIELD, WI — Authorities in Greenfield responded to a fire call Thursday, and it was of the unusual variety, officials said.

According to the Greenfield Fire Department, firefighters were called to a property Thursday on a report of smoke filling the home.

When they arrived, firefighters reported finding a smoldering sofa chair that ignited. They extinguished the furniture and hauled it outside.

When investigators took a closer look, they reported that the cause of the fire appeared to be a stand magnifier that was located next to the chair in a sun room. Positioned correctly on this bright sunny day, it ignited the chair, investigators said.

"Good thing the resident was home and a quick response kept this fire from growing," fire officials said.

According to Goneoutdoors.com, the science behind lighting a fire with a magnifying glass is found in the magnifying glass' ability to concentrate light photons onto a very small area. "Through the use of a magnifying glass, the path of these photons are narrowed to a highly localized area. If a high enough temperature is reached (somewhere around 450 degrees F), the kindling will smolder and begin to burn."