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0 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 Massive sinkhole closes part of Highway 101 in Brookings-Harbor; see ODOT picture ... Harry & David drives profitable quarter for 1-800-Flowers ... Lithia Motors reaches settlement with Federal Trade Commission ... Massive sinkhole closes part of Highway 101 in Brookings-Harbor; see ODOT picture ... Harry & David drives profitable quarter for 1-800-Flowers ... Lithia Motors reaches settlement with Federal Trade Commission ... PUBLIC SAFETY Crystal paperweight focused sun's rays to cause car fire at Fred Meyer Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Jan. 28, 2016 at 10:42 AM Updated at 4:43 PM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Jan. 28, 2016 at 10:42 AM Updated at 4:43 PM » Social News 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. The fire started at 2:37 p.m. in the north Fred Meyer parking lot at 2424 Highway 62. Passers-by reported seeing smoke fill up the interior of a 2009 Honda Civic hybrid, according to Medford Fire-Rescue. Capt. Sean Schmidt said crews upgraded to a structure fire response, because they thought the vehicle was parked close to the department store. Firefighters first on scene saw it was not and turned all other responding units around. Smoke billowed out when firefighters opened the unoccupied vehicle, but no flames 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 a crystal half-sphere paperweight on the dashboard that was so hot it 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. Officials estimate the fire 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 at 10:42 AM Updated at 4:43 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » 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. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events 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