The Arson Task Force in Northamptonshire has said it is “only a matter of time” before Chinese lanterns cause a serious incident in the county, after a £6 million blaze at a West Midlands recycling plant.
The fire, in Smethwick, was caused by a Chinese lantern and was the largest ever in the West Midlands. A total of ten firefighters were injured trying to tackle it.
Today the Arson Task Force – made up of fire service and police force staff- said it was “strongly” advising people stop using floating lanterns.
Mark Ainge, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service’s head of community services, said: “We don’t want to be killjoys, but we do have serious concerns over the use of these lanterns and strongly advise everyone to act responsibly and stop using these dangerous items.
“They can travel as far as 15 miles, so even if you think you are releasing one in a ‘safe’ area, you don’t know where they will land.
“It’s also worth knowing that public liability insurance and licensing conditions may not cover the release of floating lanterns at organised events.
“We are monitoring incidents in the county and are continually gathering the evidence with the aim of having them banned in the UK, as they are already banned in other countries.
“It’s just a matter of time before they cause a serious incident in Northamptonshire.”
The miniature hot air balloons are constructed of paper, wire and bamboo with a fuel cell attached and hung beneath the paper balloon. When the fuel is lit, the hot air inflates the balloon and it floats into the sky.
But they have been known to fall from the sky in flames and can ignite any combustible material, such as a thatched roof or garden.
During the past four years, lanterns have been blamed for a number of incidents in Northamptonshire including one last year where a lantern set fire to the guttering of a three-storey block of flats in Northampton.
One flaming lantern landed on the roof of a vehicle resulting in paint damage, another set fire to some garden furniture, another ignited washing on a rotary dryer.
In East Northamptonshire an animal had to be put down after ingesting some wire from a lantern which had landed in field.