Chinese farm set ablaze after sky lantern lands in field

Part of a strawberry farm was set ablaze in eastern China after a sky lantern landed in a field during the Lantern Festival over the weekend.

The fruit crop at the farm in Linyi in Shandong province was badly damaged in the fire on Saturday, leading to losses of over 400,000 yuan (US$58,000), Shandong Television reported.

Sky lanterns are hot air balloon lanterns made of paper with an opening at the bottom where a small fire is suspended. Many Chinese people set them afloat during the Lantern Festival as they symbolise couriers sending good wishes to the gods.

The owner of the farm found the remains of a lantern with a prayer for peace and good fortune written on it. The well-intentioned lantern ended up burning down four of sixteen sheds of strawberries at the farm.

“The loss of each shed cost me at least 100,000 yuan. So far it’s hard to even have a ballpark figure,” the farmer said.

He added he hoped the government would ban sky lanterns in the future.