EASTHAMPTON — Prompt 911 calls from neighbors and a swift response from the Fire Department helped stop an apartment fire caused by a snow globe from spreading throughout a West Lake Street complex.

Easthampton Fire Chief Christopher Norris said neighbors heard smoke detectors sounding inside the apartment unit and reported it around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday. When firefighters arrived, no one was home at the time and the unit was locked, and they had to force entry through the front door to get inside, he said.

Inside, firefighters discovered a moderate amount of smoke and a small fire on a coffee table.

“Upon investigation, we found that cardboard and styrofoam had caught fire and had started from a snow globe,” Norris said. “The snow globe was positioned on the coffee table in a way that the light was refracted and magnified onto a nearby piece of cardboard and styrofoam, bringing both to their ignition temperatures.”

He said crews were able to quickly douse the fire and remove the combustible materials inside. The fire did, however, generate a significant amount of smoke on the first floor, so firefighters brought in several fans to ventilate the building and limit any smoke damage.

Though not common, fires starting like this are not unheard of.

Stoneham Fire Chief Matthew Grafton reported in a press release that a combination of sunlight, curved glass and combustible materials had started a three-alarm fire in March 2021 in Stoneham.

“We’ve heard of other examples like mirrors and magnifying glasses — anything that shows concentrated light coming through can cause a fire. But this is my first snow globe,” Norris said at the time. “Fortunately this is not a common occurrence, but something to be cognizant of. It’s a good reminder to be aware of these hazards in the home.”

Emily Thurlow can be reached at ethurlow@gazettenet.com.]]>