Several dozen animals perished in the flames. A mother and two daughters admitted on Thursday to the fire of a zoo in Krefeld in Germany, after having sent flying lanterns, however prohibited, on New Year's night.
The mother, 60, and her two "adult" daughters introduced themselves to the investigators and admitted having sent five lanterns, which have been banned since 2009 in this region of North Rhine-Westphalia, local police announced. . They are "devastated," added police, in the aftermath of the fire caused by these flying lanterns that ravaged the House of Monkeys at the Krefeld Zoo.
Lanterns bought on the Internet
One of the five lanterns landed on the roof of this building and caused a fire that killed 30 monkeys, including gorillas, marmosets and orangutans, and birds. The three women bought these lanterns, often produced in China, on the Internet and sent them with handwritten wishes without "thinking in the least of the world about the possible consequences", according to the investigators. They are the subject of an investigation by the Krefeld prosecution for "negligent arson", punishable by five years in prison and a heavy fine.
The Krefeld Zoo, which has about 1,000 animals and attracts 400,000 visitors a year, is scheduled to reopen on Friday. He received numerous expressions of sympathy and pledges after this disaster which made the headlines in the German media. The German association for the protection of animals came up on Wednesday to ask for a ban on fireworks near zoos, farms and kennels.
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