Water bottles left in car could start fires

MIAMI – Medical professionals always advise us to hydrate on hot days by drinking plenty of water. But fire officials are offering up a different warning when it comes to water.

While water bottles are convenient, they can also prove hazardous if left inside a hot car. The clear bottles can magnify the sun's rays and start a fire inside a vehicle, reports KFOR.

“It uses the liquid and the clear material to develop a focused beam and sure enough, it can actually cause a fire, a combustion,” said David Richardson of the Midwest Fire Department.

Sunlight magnified through a water bottle reached a temperature of 250 degrees when tested by the department.

Officials warn drivers to either remove bottles from the car or keep them in a shaded area out of the sunlight.

Story is courtesy KSAT sister station, WPLG.