Here at CaravanTimes we are all too aware of the potentially deadly nature of caravan fires.
Just last month, the widespread and destructive fire at Croft Farm Leisure Park, in Worcestershire blazed through more than 80 touring caravans and mobile homes at the storage centre.
Fortunately, fire-fighters were successful in managing to control the intense fire that was making its way towards a 2,000-litre fuel storage tank.
Following this dangerous incident, Worcestershire Chief Fire Officer, Mark Yates has called for an urgent review of sky lanterns to be conducted as it was deemed that the Chinese-style paper lanterns were singled out as the most likely cause for the rapidly growing fire.
The review was a thorough investigation that utilised eyewitness accounts and CCTV footage which eventually revealed that it was indeed a sky lantern that was responsible for the fire at Croft Farm Leisure Park.
Speaking about the impact and danger of sky lanterns, Mark believes that although the fire services were able to use a significant number of fire engines to stop the fire, he still feels that the potential damage that lanterns can cause is extremely significant.
Mark emphasised that even though sky lanterns are extremely popular and are often used at events, he commented that: “Not only do they pose a risk to livestock and agriculture but also to property, as was the case in this incident.
“As a Chief Fire Officer I do not consider it is acceptable to allow burning objects to be set free across our counties without any consideration of the damage they may do to property or livestock and I would ask event organisers not to use sky lanterns for any purpose.”
Burning issues
Sky lanterns have previously also been a matter of contention for caravan parks.
In fact, last year in July, the councillors of Bromsgrove voted on banning their use on district council-owned land and sending a letter to the Government, which called for the sale of sky lanterns to be banned throughout the UK.
Now, Mark has once again raised the issue of sky lanterns and feels that a review of the uses of sky lanterns is a definite must.
He raised the point that apart from this incredibly damaging fire in Worcestershire, there was also a major fire in a plastic recycling site in Smethwick that was also started by a sky lantern.
It certainly seems as though the pretty sight of sky lanterns floating off into the night sky does hide the severe consequences of their ability to also cause destruction, so we at CaravanTimes urge people to think twice before buying one.
