Smethwick fire: Chinese lantern 'caused largest blaze'

[syl1985]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-23123549

About 2 years ago we brought a Chinese lantern. We thought that would be beautiful by the beach on the evening of our wedding anniversary.

It went up high in the sky and then it came down very fast. Thank goodness in the water. But if it got on something that could burn. It sure would have caused a fire.

These things are soooooo dangerous.
I can't believe you can still buy them.

It's like an air balloon. A one meter high air balloon.
In the basket there is a small candle. You light it. The balloon gets filled with warm air and up it goes.

But that candle burns for some minutes. So if that Chinese lantern hits something that could burn.....

I told what happened to a friend of mine.
She also had a bad experience with one of these lanterns. Same as us just followed the instructions. But it still ended up in a tree. Tree caught fire and they had to call the fire department.

[syl1985]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23129276

Pictures and more information of the dangers of these lanterns.

[YDdraigGoch]

Chinese lanterns should be banned.