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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Crystal paperweight focused sun's rays to cause car fire ... Two plead not guilty in Central Point stabbing attack ... SOU will pay most of the costs of $2.5 million settlement ... Crystal paperweight focused sun's rays to cause car fire ... Two plead not guilty in Central Point stabbing attack ... SOU will pay most of the costs of $2.5 million settlement ... PUBLIC SAFETY Crystal paperweight focused sun's rays to cause car fire By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Jan. 28, 2016 @ 10:42 am By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Jan. 28, 2016 @ 10:42 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> A crystal paperweight in just the right position concentrated the sun's rays and started a small fire inside a parked car Wednesday in Medford. Medford Fire-Rescue reported the incident happened at 2:37 p.m. in the north Fred Meyer parking lot, 2424 Highway 62. Passersby reported seeing smoke fill up the interior of a 2009 Honda Civic hybrid. Capt. Sean Schmidt said crews first upgraded to a structure fire response, as they thought the vehicle was parked close to the department store. The first engine on scene saw it was not and turned all other responding units around. The car had filled up with smoke, which billowed out when firefighters made entry to the parked, unoccupied vehicle, but no actual flames had erupted, officials said. Random items on the dashboard — including hand towels and hair barrettes — were smoldering, as was a portion of the dashboard itself. Crews found the paperweight, a crystal half-sphere, on the dashboard, too. It was hot to the touch and couldn't be handled without gloves. fire officials said. Fire crews quickly figured out what had happened. "(It was) just like a magnifying glass. We were able to recreate it," Schmidt said. Fire officials estimate the smoldering caused about $500 in damage. Schmidt said these types of fires are unusual. He hasn't responded to a similar incident, though a colleague said he had seen a crystal cause similar damage. On that emergency call, fire crews found a crystal hung in a window had concentrated sunlight on a bookshelf. "As the sun moved through the sky, it actually did etching, like a wood burning line down the side of the bookshelf until it hit a stack of newspapers," Schmidt said. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Jan. 28, 2016 @ 10:42 am » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501