A horrified mum claims the baby mirror in her vehicle “burnt holes” and nearly set “alight” her son’s car seat.
Emma Gavin was distraught when she returned from school drop-off to discover smoke inside the car.
After a frantic check, the 36-year-old allegedly discovered the sun had reflected off a mirror – purchased at Home Bargains – onto the seat fabric.
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She claims it burned holes just centimetres from where her eight-month-old son was sitting just minutes earlier.
“It was a warm and sunny morning and the light had caught the padded cushion on the strap,” Emma, from Corby, Northamptonshire, told Need To Know.
“I started to pat it down and realised as I followed the line of the sun glare that it was reflecting off the mirror – it was like a magnifying glass.
“I became frantic, checking Louie over.
“I was petrified he was burnt.”
Emma, who has two older children aged seven and 12, was driving her partner’s Volkswagen Tiguan last week (21 June), which has tinted windows and sunshades over the rear windows.
She later realised the sun glare had come through the driver’s window and hit the baby mirror.
She said: “It has left me feeling really anxious.
“I do feel like it was my own fault but I never thought a device, which is supposed to make driving with a baby safer, could be so dangerous.
“It could have set alight whilst Louie was in the seat – that doesn’t bear thinking about.
“I threw the mirror in the bin.”
Emma has shared shocking photos of the burns caused by the mirror.
She only passed her driving test two months ago and had purchased the mirror from Home Bargains in April.
The product is still available to buy for £4.99, though currently out of stock online.
After sharing the incident in a mum group online, Emma was advised to buy a mirror that is convex, meaning curved or rounded outwards.
Emma said: “I was advised if the plastic is curved outwards, sunlight cannot focus on a point.
“I never knew this and I can’t believe a product that is potentially so dangerous can be sold.
“I’m just so thankful that I saw what was happening because I was parked and not driving.
“[But] I keep thinking, ‘what if?’
“I don’t want to think what could have happened if I was on a long drive or how hurt Louie could have been if the light had reflected half an inch over.
“I wanted to share my experience as a warning to any parents or grandparents who may use these mirrors in their cars.
“Please do your research, it could have been so much worse.”
Emma has contacted Home Bargains regarding the incident.
A spokesperson for Home Bargains told Jam Press: “Naturally, we are sorry to learn of our customers’ experience and any distress suffered, we take the safety of our products extremely seriously.
“Now that we are aware of the incident, we would be happy to work with the customer to resolve.”
