A GLASS panel shattered and fell in a conservatory seconds after a homeowner fled the room - reportedly due to the heat and warm temperatures.
John Williamson, 69, and Chaloem Williamson, 63, who live in Croft Road on Portland, were inside their home on Thursday morning (July 22).
Mrs Williamson was sat inside the conservatory when she heard a ‘loud crack like a gunshot’ from a glass window panel above her.
Concerned about the noise above her, she ran out of the room. Seconds later, a window panel on its roof fell and shattered onto the floor and furniture where she had sat.
A shocked Mr Williamson said: “Around 8.25am on Thursday morning, my wife was sitting in our conservatory.
“We heard loud crack like a gunshot, and she ran into the house. The glass roof panel shattered and fell onto the floor and furniture.”
Photos taken by Mr Williamson show tiny and large shards of glass scattered across the conservatory’s floor and furniture.
It is not clear what caused the glass to smash, but Mr Williamson theorised it was due to the heat.
He said: “If you had been next to it, you would have been hit by the glass.
“There was no impact to the window or anything. There’s no other reason why it would have happened other than due to the heat.
“We don't know the actual temperature in the conservatory but the inside of the house was 25 degrees.
“Inside the conservatory, the temperature is higher and also the whole windows were opened.”
“We have lived here for over 30 years and I don’t remember it being hot like this.”
Mr Williamson was also thankful that his grandson was not in the conservatory at the time of the glass panel cracking and falling.
He added: “We have a grandchild and luckily he wasn’t here at the same as he usually plays in there.”
The shattered glass has been cleared by Mr Williamson as. conservatory, which was built in 2013, will now be repaired.
Portland and wider Dorset have endured a heatwave in recent days amid an ‘extreme heat’ weather warning issued by the Met Office.
The weather alert warned of ‘high temperatures both by day and night’ which will lead to ‘public health impacts’.
Residents on Portland experienced a ‘tropical night’ on Monday night after the Met Office revealed that temperatures remained above 20°C.
- Got a story to share or for me to investigate? Email me at michael.taylor@newsquest.co.uk
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