Senior UK fire officers call for paper lantern review following large fire in central England

Published January 13, 2015

British firefighters are calling for people not to use paper lanterns after they were blamed for a huge fire in central England.

The Chief Fire Officers' Association said in a statement Tuesday that paper lanterns — heated by candles and launched into the air during celebrations — can cause significant damage.

Video evidence has shown that a large blaze at a plastic recycling plant near the city of Birmingham on Monday was started by a paper lantern that floated over the site.

Over 200 firefighters fought the blaze, which caused 6 million pounds ($9.1 million) in damage.

The fire officers said that as well as being a fire hazard to everything from thatched roofs to hazardous waste, paper lanterns also posed a risk to livestock.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/world/senior-uk-fire-officers-call-for-paper-lantern-review-following-large-fire-in-central-england