Chinese lantern sets fire to conservatory roof

Firefighters from Deeside were called to an incident at a house on Hilltop Close, Ewloe at around 9.18pm on Saturday after a Chinese lantern melted its way through a conservatory roof.

The lantern had drifted on to the property, landing on the conservatory and burned through the plastic roof. The resident woke to find her home filled with smoke and alerted the fire service.

Paul Whybro from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “These lanterns are popular, but present a significant hazard and therefore we are appealing to the public to be careful when handling them. This lady was lucky as the incident could have been much more serious. The lantern burned through her conservatory whilst she was asleep at night and had been smouldering for some hours – it was pure luck that the hot wax fell onto the floor and did not set any furniture alight. Her home could easily have gone up in flames.”

My Whybro added: “Please follow our advice. Make sure that no one is standing underneath when a lantern is set up as there is a possibility that oil or wax can tip over and cause injury. Take account of the prevailing wind and ensure the lantern will burn out before it can land on nearby property or farmland – they can also be a danger to crops and livestock. Ask yourself whether the risk is really worth it before you set one alight.”