Senior UK fire officers call for paper lantern review following large fire in central England
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.