'One spark' from sky lantern destroys 14 vehicles at Cornwall business park

A spark from a sky lantern started a major fire that destroyed vehicles at a business park in Cornwall.

The blaze broke out at Newport Industrial Estate in Launceston shortly before midnight last Wednesday (21 June) and quickly spread.

Fire crews from Launceston, Callington and Liskeard attended, using four pumping appliances to bring the fire under control and to prevent it spreading to nearby properties. 

An investigation, which included viewing CCTV of the site, found a lit sky lantern had landed on the windscreen wipers of a van and smouldered for a while before catching fire.

In total, 14 vehicles were destroyed by the blaze but the fire service managed to protect the two nearby buildings while the flames were brought under control.

Cornwall Council explained that sky lanterns have become popular for celebrations and events, but they can pose a serious fire risk.

The paper lanterns contain either a a candle or a fuel cell filled with paraffin wax, which is suspended inside a frame of bamboo or wire.

Once alight, they float gently upwards and will drift away on the wind. As the fuel cell runs out they land but they can remain hot for a while afterwards.

Depending on the strength of the wind they can drift for several miles and can reach nearly one kilometre in height.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service are calling on members of the public to avoid using these lanterns due to the damage that they can cause through fire and injury to wildlife.

Station manager Scott Brown, the service's protection officer, said: “The Met Office wildfire severity index is currently high or very high across Cornwall and the South West and we are asking everyone to remember the risks and to avoid using any type of sky lantern.

"The CCTV footage of the lantern landing on the vehicle and the photographs taken at the scene show how that one spark escalated into a large fire.

"We are sharing the images in the hope that people will remember the significant and costly consequences of these popular lanterns that once released, cannot be controlled or predicted."

Cllr Martyn Alvey, cabinet member with responsibility for the fire service said: “This was a fantastic effort by the fire crews, who prevented a serious blaze from spreading to nearby buildings.

“Cornwall Council has already banned the launching of sky lanterns from its land, and would urge other landowners and venues across Cornwall to do the same. 

"Not only are they a potential fire risk as demonstrated in this incident, they can also be extremely harmful to livestock and wild animals.”