Three women are under investigation in Germany for launching paper sky lanterns for the new year which apparently ignited a devastating fire that killed more than 30 animals at a zoo, officials said Thursday.

The three local women — a mother and her two daughters, ages 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 offense 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 in the first minutes of the new year and spread rapidly. The zoo near the Dutch border says 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. The animals either burned to death or died from smoke inhalation, authorities said.

Hoppmann said the women had ordered five sky lanterns on the internet and told authorities that they had believed they were legal in Germany. He added that there was nothing in the product description showing that they were banned.

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 feared reprisals and authorities limited the details given about the suspects.

Investigators believe that 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 weren’t 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, Hoppmann said. He said 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. Firefighters were only able to rescue two chimpanzees. The zoo said Thursday it was satisfied with their condition.

Related Stories
‹
Authorities Arrest Arson Suspect in Connection With One of the Devastating Spokane Wildfires
Authorities on Monday arrested a 37-year-old man they suspect of starting one of the devastating wildfires tearing through eastern Washington state as many residents were left wondering if their homes had survived.
Van Slams Into Crowd at Berlin Pride Festival, Killing 1 and Injuring 16, as Police Identify Suspect
A van slammed into people gathered for Berlin’s famed Pride festival on Saturday night, killing one person, injuring at least 16 others and prompting police to call off the celebrations and a concert in the German capital hours after they had begun.
Members of a Sexual Predator Network on Telegram Tried to Hide Their Crimes With Code Words
Written by KIRSTEN GRIESHABER, STEFANIE DAZIO and HUIZHONG WU BERLIN (AP) — They called themselves the “German driving school for experts,” but prosecutors say the true purpose of their Telegram chats was to brag about the women they raped and share tips about how to drug them. In posts that sometimes included photos and videos of their attacks on unconscious […]
France Records Around 1,000 Additional Deaths as Extreme Heat Breaks European Records
World Health Organization warned that Europe is now the fastest-warming continent and needs to do more to protect its citizens.
Victim Identified in Chapel Hill House Fire; Investigation Into Cause Still Ongoing
The Chapel Hill Fire Department said one person died in a house fire on the corner of Redbud Lane and Honeysuckle Road Monday morning.
Local Soccer Player, East Chapel Hill High Schooler Earns Invite to German Training Camp
Cristian Diaz Perez, a sophomore at East Chapel Hill High School, is hoping to attend an exclusive soccer camp in Germany this summer.
Chapel Hill Duplex Fire Displaces Eight, No Injuries Reported
The Chapel Hill Fire Department responded to a duplex fire Saturday morning, which it said displaced eight people.
Top Stories Of 2025: Fires Close Doors of Chapel Hill, Carrboro Businesses
Over the course of 2025, fires impacted a handful of the community's beloved small businesses and institutions.
Kremlin Confirms US Envoy Will Visit as Talks on Ending War in Ukraine Gain Momentum
A senior Kremlin official confirmed Wednesday that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to visit Moscow next week as efforts pick up speed to find a consensus on ending the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine.
As Outrage Over the War in Gaza Grows, Europe’s Relationship With Israel Falters
As outrage over the humanitarian catastrophe grows, more European leaders, sometimes driven by pressure from their populations, have openly condemned Israel’s war conduct.
›