Fire-Retardant Blinds

Fire-Retardant Blinds Fire-Retardant Blinds
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Flat Fire Shows Importance of Fire-Retardant Blinds



Dame Joan Collins and Percy Gibson on the red carpetWhilst the 85-year old actress Dame Joan Collins is no stranger to drama, she experienced her own in her Belgravia flat on Saturday afternoon.


The low April sun was shining brightly, and despite the chill in the air outside, the rays were still strong. Sunlight streamed in through a window and bounced off a shaving mirror in the bathroom. The focused rays of sunlight landed on a window blind.


The spot of sunlight grew hotter and hotter until the blind began to smoulder, eventually becoming a full-blown fire.


The fire spread up the blind and onto the wall, with Collins’ husband Percy Gibson bravely battling it with a fire extinguisher. Fire fighters arrived and the pair were treated for smoke inhalation, but were otherwise unharmed.


If it hadn’t been for Gibson’s quick actions, the situation could have been far worse.


Now, this was a freak accident despite the increased chance from the time of year and likelihood of glass and crystal items catching the sun.


Sunlight came through a window at the correct angle to hit the shaving mirror, which is magnified and therefore very powerful when bouncing intense sunlight onto what happened to be a non-fire-retardant fabric blind. The combination of all these events led to a fire, yet it’s worth noting that a small change in the type of blind fabric could have prevented the whole thing.


Don’t worry, this isn’t a crass attempt to cash in on an elderly woman’s misfortune – you should know we’re better than that dear reader! No, this is an example, a clear illustration of the reasons to buy a fire-retardant blind.



Fire retardant blinds' fabric prevents fire from taking hold if it comes into contact with an ignition source. It will smoulder but it will extinguish once the source is removed. You should choose this option if you are shopping for a roller blind.


This means if a chance situation like Collins’ does occur in your home, or if a candle was set a little too close to a blind, or perhaps little Jimmy developed an arsonist-streak in his toddler years, your blind won’t escalate the fire.


That being said, we urge you to be sensible and aware of the dangers. Don’t put candles on the window sill, despite how nice and cosy it looks. Keep lighters, matches and magnifying glasses away from children and keep an eye on how sunlight hits various glass and crystal objects in your home.


Speaking of Dame Joan Collins’ incident, a London Fire Brigade crew manager said: “These sort of fires are not as rare as you would think and this incident shows that fires can happen in anyone's home. Particularly at this time of year, the sun is low in the sky so the concentrated rays can set light to nearby items. We've seen fires caused by glass doorknobs, jars and bottles on windowsills, and hanging crystals. Our advice is to always keep crystals, glass objects and mirrors away from windowsills and out of direct sunlight.


“This is also a reminder of the importance of having smoke alarms fitted throughout your home, as they give the earliest possible warning of fire.”


To find fire retardant blinds on DotcomBlinds, use the filter on the left-hand side when you’re scrolling though. If you have any questions about fire retardancy and blind fabric, please do not hesitate to get in touch, we’re always happy to help!