To think Chinese lanterns must be banned after the fire in Germany

[ChardonnaysDistantCousin]

Animals died horribly and needlessly and lanterns with New Year's wishes were found at the scene.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-50964956

I agree, horrendous

They are awful things, balloon releases are bad enough but these are even worse as this tragedy has shown

they are banned in the area it happened.

some fuckers just think they are above the law.

poor animals and their poor keepers.

I don't understand who even still uses these bloody things. You'd have to be living under a rock to not know about the dangers of them.

Local farmers are forever finding the damn things on their land causing all kinds of issues with their livestock eating them or being hurt by the wire from them.

I read it as being fireworks but either way, this should not have happened

Couldn't agree more; same with balloon releases. At best, it's littering, at worst, it's fatal. I honestly can't understand why anybody thinks it's OK to do this.

Yes awful things. I imagine they cause distress to the coast guard too.
I watched someone light one once they look very dangerous they had their head in it lighting it.
Balloons launches are similar.

they are banned in the area it happened.

Didn't realise that. That's shocking. Hope someone gets locked up for it.

I want to see them banned here as well.

I was surprised to see one sale over my house last night just after midnight, so worrying ....

And ballons. Fuck ballon releases.

Sorry, balloons.

it's my local zoo. They are banned and at this time they're not 100% certain if that is what happened. Although they have found others at the scene with handwritten messages in.

I've got into arguments about these things and balloon releases on our local fb group, we're in the countryside and farmers are always complaining how dangerous they are. But we all get shouted down that we're the "fun police".

It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out. In the meantime I've been a bit tearful, I've been visiting that zoo since the early 80s and watched it grow into something quite special, small with few resources but special nonetheless (even though I'm not a big fan of zoos). We're hoping the surviving primates can be helped through the trauma.

Felt sick to my stomach reading about the monkeys etc.
Rip poor souls.

I'm really upset.

So horrible and so needless. We can do better, we have brains and common sense, why don't people use it?

They’re already banned in Germany but still idiotic people went ahead and released them.

Those poor animals, it is heartbreaking.

I live fairly near to the main flight path to Heathrow, and the amount of lanterns floating around was shocking. They should be banned as should balloon releases. You would not go on an open top bus and throw petrol soaked rags as you go up the high street... And they are no kind of a tribute to anyone who has died. Who risks killing people and animals in memory of someone? Would you stand on a beach and toss uninflated balloons and lanterns in the sea in memory of someone. Ban them.

I suppose that some people just like the sight of them going up and beyond that, their imagination just stops as to their impact.
Ot they know and don't care...

The story made me cry. Those poor animals being burned alive. There was a 43 year old silverback gorilla too.

I so wish they would be banned and sales of them stopped totally. Fireworks too

They are banned in Germany. They should be banned here too. A blanket ban. They are horrendous things. Obviously a complete fire hazard wherever they are, and also rubbish that litters the countryside and is still a danger to wildlife.

They are shit, and only used by thoughtless arseholes.

I used to live abroad where they were really common. We were at a student party letting them off and set a tree alight. It was so easy for a fire to start. Fortunately it didn’t take hold as it had been pretty wet but it spooked me and made me realise how dangerous they could be. We were in a woodland area as well so the consequences could have easily been devastating on a drier day.

Those poor animals, it's awful. Why do people think it is ok to set fire to something and let it fly away without knowing or caring where it may land? They need to be banned.

An ancient thatched cottage near here was burned to the ground when one landed on its roof a couple of years ago, nearly killing one of the firefighters putting it out.

This is so upsetting, those poor creatures dying in such a horrific way. Why do people still use them?

So many animals have lost their lives, with this
and the awful fires in Australia. It’s so sad and I don’t want to think about it!
Poor poor animals.

Irresponsible idiots! These things are so dangerous. I have removed quite a few from my fields and every so often you hear of a horse whose rug caught fire because of them and they had horrific injuries as a result.

I will be writing to my MP, now whether he's even answer is doubtful, but I will.

May I ask all of you who agree to do the same?