Three women are under investigation for launching paper sky lanterns at New Year that apparently ignited a fire at a German zoo killing more than 30 animals, officials said.
The local women – a mother and her two daughters, aged 30 to 60 – went to police in the western city of Krefeld on New Year’s Day after authorities held a news conference about the blaze, criminal police chief Gerd Hoppmann said.
The women are being investigated on suspicion of negligent arson, prosecutor Jens Frobel said. The offence can carry a prison sentence of up to five years.
Many Germans welcome in the new year legally with fireworks at midnight. Sky lanterns, however, are both illegal and unusual in Germany.
The mini hot-air balloons made of paper have been used in Asia for centuries.
The fire started in a corner of the ape house’s roof at Krefeld Zoo and spread rapidly.
The zoo near the Dutch border said the ape house burned down and more than 30 animals – including five orangutans, two gorillas, a chimpanzee and several monkeys – were killed, as well as fruit bats and birds.
Firefighters were only able to rescue two chimpanzees. The zoo said on Thursday it was satisfied with their condition.
Mr Hoppmann said the women had ordered five sky lanterns on the internet and told authorities that they had not known they were illegal in Germany.
He added there was nothing in the product description showing they were banned.
Mr Hoppmann described the women as “completely normal people who seemed very sensible, very responsible” and said it was “very courageous” of them to come forward, saving authorities a tricky investigation.
He added that they fear reprisals and authorities limited the details given about the suspects.
Investigators believe just one lantern started the blaze. They found the other four later, with handwritten good wishes for the new year attached.
The destroyed ape house lacked fire detectors and sprinklers, which were not required when it was built in the 1970s.
The zoo said, however, that it had passed a regular fire protection check a few months ago.
The building’s roof had been renovated after a hailstorm a few years ago and plexiglass was added, Mr Hoppmann said.
He added that while investigators were confident the sky lantern was to blame, they will look at other factors that may have contributed to the blaze, such as dry fallen leaves on the roof.
Investigators plan to carry out tests to help find out why the blaze spread so quickly.
