Two burn marks were left on the seat of his vehicle.
Now firefighters are warning other drivers about the hazard of partially filled water bottles being left in hot cars.
In a test conducted by one Oklahoma Fire Department, intense sunlight magnified by a water bottle reached 250 degrees.
David Richardson, of the Midwest Fire Department in Oklahoma, told KFOR the sunlight “uses the liquid and the clear material to develop a focused beam, and sure enough, it can actually cause a fire.”
Experts believe the extra heat can cause a car’s interior materials — fabric seats, mats, leather, and other objects inside the vehicle — to catch fire.
While the risk is relatively small, officials warn that you be aware of the danger, and keep clear plastic water bottles either covered or out of unattended vehicles completely.
