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| Smethwick blaze: fire chiefs tell public to stop using Chinese lanterns | Smethwick blaze: fire chiefs tell public to stop using Chinese lanterns |
| (3 months later) | |
| Chief fire officers have called for an urgent review of the use of Chinese or paper lanterns across the UK after evidence emerged of one causing a blaze at a plastics recycling plant in which 10 firefighters were injured. | Chief fire officers have called for an urgent review of the use of Chinese or paper lanterns across the UK after evidence emerged of one causing a blaze at a plastics recycling plant in which 10 firefighters were injured. |
| The blaze, said to be one of the largest ever in the West Midlands, started on Sunday night. More than 200 firefighters and nearly 40 fire engines tackled the fire, which sent a plume of smoke rising 2,000 metres (6,000ft) from the J&A Young plant at Smethwick, West Midlands. | The blaze, said to be one of the largest ever in the West Midlands, started on Sunday night. More than 200 firefighters and nearly 40 fire engines tackled the fire, which sent a plume of smoke rising 2,000 metres (6,000ft) from the J&A Young plant at Smethwick, West Midlands. |
| As the fire – on an industrial estate – was contained, Vijith Randeniya, the West Midlands chief fire officer, said forensics investigations and CCTV footage suggested it had been caused by one of the "uncontrolled, unregulated" lanterns. | As the fire – on an industrial estate – was contained, Vijith Randeniya, the West Midlands chief fire officer, said forensics investigations and CCTV footage suggested it had been caused by one of the "uncontrolled, unregulated" lanterns. |
| "You put some fire in the sky, it lands in combustible material and you get a multimillion-pound incident like this," he said. Randeniya is president of the Chief Fire Officers' Association (CFOA), which has been looking closely at the dangers posed by the paper lanterns – miniature hot-air balloons – which have become popular at celebrations. They have been condemned by fire services and animal charities. | "You put some fire in the sky, it lands in combustible material and you get a multimillion-pound incident like this," he said. Randeniya is president of the Chief Fire Officers' Association (CFOA), which has been looking closely at the dangers posed by the paper lanterns – miniature hot-air balloons – which have become popular at celebrations. They have been condemned by fire services and animal charities. |
| The CFOA appealed to the public and event organisers not to use them. "Whilst these lanterns are undoubtedly a popular and beautiful sight, the potential damage they can cause is significant," it said. "These floating lanterns not only constitute a fire hazard but also pose a risk to livestock, agriculture, camping activities, thatched properties and hazardous material sites," it said. | The CFOA appealed to the public and event organisers not to use them. "Whilst these lanterns are undoubtedly a popular and beautiful sight, the potential damage they can cause is significant," it said. "These floating lanterns not only constitute a fire hazard but also pose a risk to livestock, agriculture, camping activities, thatched properties and hazardous material sites," it said. |
| Police and coastguards also spent time and money on having to deal with lanterns being mistaken for distress flares or even UFOs. There was a temporary ban in Australia after a series of wildfires. Police, fire and rescue services and civil aviation authorities should investigate the possibility of legal action over damage caused by the lanterns, said the CFOA. | Police and coastguards also spent time and money on having to deal with lanterns being mistaken for distress flares or even UFOs. There was a temporary ban in Australia after a series of wildfires. Police, fire and rescue services and civil aviation authorities should investigate the possibility of legal action over damage caused by the lanterns, said the CFOA. |
| A wider row could be brewing on the issue after the government sought to dampen expectations of a review weeks after research by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (Defra), which has refused pleas from agricultural bodies to ban the lanterns. | A wider row could be brewing on the issue after the government sought to dampen expectations of a review weeks after research by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (Defra), which has refused pleas from agricultural bodies to ban the lanterns. |
| A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said the government was "working to raise public awareness of the risks of sky lanterns and users of these products are advised to follow manufacturers' instructions carefully." It would continue to monitor fire trends. | A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said the government was "working to raise public awareness of the risks of sky lanterns and users of these products are advised to follow manufacturers' instructions carefully." It would continue to monitor fire trends. |
| The DCLG said the results of the Defra-commissioned research, published in May, contained no real evidence of a "significant direct impact on consumer safety". | The DCLG said the results of the Defra-commissioned research, published in May, contained no real evidence of a "significant direct impact on consumer safety". |
| The department added: "In summers 2010 and 2011, the fire and rescue service recording system recorded only one incident caused by a fire lantern that caused any significant damage to a building - it is therefore very rare for a sky lantern to be the cause of a building fire. In 2012-13, English fire and rescue services attended over 100,000 outdoor fire incidents (grassland/woodland etc), of which sky lanterns were potentially responsible for around 200 fires (0.2% of all outdoor fires) – none of which caused substantial damage." | The department added: "In summers 2010 and 2011, the fire and rescue service recording system recorded only one incident caused by a fire lantern that caused any significant damage to a building - it is therefore very rare for a sky lantern to be the cause of a building fire. In 2012-13, English fire and rescue services attended over 100,000 outdoor fire incidents (grassland/woodland etc), of which sky lanterns were potentially responsible for around 200 fires (0.2% of all outdoor fires) – none of which caused substantial damage." |
| However, the report, written by the consultancy Adas, said the fire risk posed by lanterns was significant, that they could endanger aircraft (40 incidents were reported by the Civil Aviation Authority from 2001-12), and consumers needed better information from suppliers. | However, the report, written by the consultancy Adas, said the fire risk posed by lanterns was significant, that they could endanger aircraft (40 incidents were reported by the Civil Aviation Authority from 2001-12), and consumers needed better information from suppliers. |
| The shadow environment secretary, Mary Creagh, said: "The government has spent £25,000 on a report into sky lanterns which found they are a significant fire risk, may hamper search and rescue services, and could pose a danger to aeroplanes. They also pose a risk to cattle that could be injured by them – yet the government has decided to do nothing. After the Smethwick fire, ministers must look at this issue again." | The shadow environment secretary, Mary Creagh, said: "The government has spent £25,000 on a report into sky lanterns which found they are a significant fire risk, may hamper search and rescue services, and could pose a danger to aeroplanes. They also pose a risk to cattle that could be injured by them – yet the government has decided to do nothing. After the Smethwick fire, ministers must look at this issue again." |
| Randeniya said that the fire was the 15th this year at a waste transfer site in his area. He also appealed against fire service cuts. "Firefighting is a tough and dangerous job. That is why we train hard, why we resource well and why we would urge the government to retain the current financial levels," he said in a video played from the scene of the fire via the service's Twitter account. | Randeniya said that the fire was the 15th this year at a waste transfer site in his area. He also appealed against fire service cuts. "Firefighting is a tough and dangerous job. That is why we train hard, why we resource well and why we would urge the government to retain the current financial levels," he said in a video played from the scene of the fire via the service's Twitter account. |
| He said he expected firefighters to be on the scene until Tuesday. Only then could the difficult job of cleaning up the site begin: as the molten plastic hardened, it would require removal by mechanical diggers, he said. | He said he expected firefighters to be on the scene until Tuesday. Only then could the difficult job of cleaning up the site begin: as the molten plastic hardened, it would require removal by mechanical diggers, he said. |
| The fire service said two of the 10 injured firefighters had been taken to hospital as a precaution. Other injuries included heat exhaustion, eye injuries, a minor burn and an ankle injury. | The fire service said two of the 10 injured firefighters had been taken to hospital as a precaution. Other injuries included heat exhaustion, eye injuries, a minor burn and an ankle injury. |
| J&A Young (Leicester), which trades as Jayplas, claims to be the UK's largest plastics recycler. It also has two sites in Loughborough and one each in Derby and Manchester. Its main products are polythene refuse sacks. The company did not respond to a request for comment from the Guardian. | J&A Young (Leicester), which trades as Jayplas, claims to be the UK's largest plastics recycler. It also has two sites in Loughborough and one each in Derby and Manchester. Its main products are polythene refuse sacks. The company did not respond to a request for comment from the Guardian. |
| The fire service was in close contact with Birmingham airport because of the huge smoke cloud but there was no disruption to flights. Local residents were advised to close their doors and windows, while motorists were warned to shut windows and air vents, and turn off air-conditioning. The Environment Agency monitored the firefighting effort, especially water runoff into the local canal, but by mid-afternoon reported no fish in distress or other environmental impacts. | The fire service was in close contact with Birmingham airport because of the huge smoke cloud but there was no disruption to flights. Local residents were advised to close their doors and windows, while motorists were warned to shut windows and air vents, and turn off air-conditioning. The Environment Agency monitored the firefighting effort, especially water runoff into the local canal, but by mid-afternoon reported no fish in distress or other environmental impacts. |
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