When a paperweight collector's hobby got too hot

Published on Friday 8 August 2008 22:03

A PAPERWEIGHT collector has abandoned his hobby after one of his treasured items set fire to his home.

Firefighters told Matthew Williams a blaze in his flat was started by a glass paperweight which magnified the sun's rays.

The heat caused a freak accident which destroyed his bedroom on Tuesday, while he slept in the living room next-door.

He had a lucky escape when a friend came to see him and woke him up.

Now the 38-year-old from Elgin in Moray, has cleared away all the paperweights he has collected over the past seven years.

He said: "I always thought it was a harmless hobby. I certainly never thought a paperweight could kill me. People need to be aware how dangerous these things can be.

"They look so appealing and you never think they could cause an accident. But they can be dangerous."

Fred Welsh, of Grampian Fire and Rescue, urged care with paperweights. He said: "I don't want to scare anyone, but it is worth saying that if you do have glass items like this you should be aware of where you position them.

"It's possible that things like glass or crystal paperweights or magnifying mirrors can set something alight if they happen to catch the sun's rays. It would need to be intense heat from the sun focusing on another object for a long time.

"It is certainly unusual, but I've experienced it a couple of times in the past."