Pile of mail, magnifying glass and sunbeam start small fire in Wyoming home

Sunbeam, magnifying glass set fire in Wyoming home

RIVERTON, Wyo. — Officials say a magnifying glass set on a stand in a sunny room started a small blaze in a Wyoming home.

UPS worker Buddy Armstrong was delivering a package to 84-year-old Thomas Guthrie’s Dubois home on Tuesday when he heard an alarm inside. Armstrong, also a volunteer firefighter, called emergency workers and went inside the home, along with a sheriff’s deputy.

Sgt. Jerry Evagelatos says they found a lot of smoke, but couldn’t find the source until Dubois firefighters arrived. Evagelatos says the sun was shining at just the right angle to hit a magnifying glass on a stand. The glass magnified the sunbeam, which set a nearby pile of mail on fire.

Evagelatos says the fire was extinguished before it damaged the home. Guthrie wasn’t at home during the fire.

Information from: The (Riverton) Ranger, www.dailyranger.com