What exactly happened in Krefeld?
In the early New Year's morning, the monkey house of the Krefeld Zoo went up in flames. More than 30 animals were burned - including five Borneo orangutans, a West African chimpanzee and two lowland gorillas. Two chimpanzees survived, the 40-year-old female Bally and the young male Limbo. Both suffered only minor burn injuries. The monkey house was completely destroyed, the financial damage goes into the millions.
What was the picture of the fire department on site?
The fire department was only a few minutes after the first emergency call to the zoo. Nevertheless, the rescuers could not do anything for the approximately 30 animals. "We were a little bit amazed that the monkey house was already in full fire upon arrival," said Andreas Klos from the Krefeld fire department. All that was left was to protect the neighboring enclosures and minimize the damage in this way. "The fact is, it was an extensive conflagration that could no longer be fought."
What triggered the fire?
The investigators assume that the monkey house was set on fire by a so-called sky lantern. Remains of the lamp were found at the site of the fire, said chief inspector Gerd Hoppmann from the Krefeld criminal police at a press conference. Sky lanterns, also called wish lanterns, consist of thin tissue paper and a candle or a container with fuel paste in the middle. If ignited, they can float far through the air. The so-called Kong Ming lantern was developed in China by military leader Kong Ming almost 2000 years ago and used as a means of communication. In many Asian countries, especially on the occasion of the Chinese New Year, people are raising the small hot air balloons to the sky.
Can sky lanterns be sold in Germany at all?
Yes. The sale - and possession - of the lanterns is not regulated, but the use is. A package of sky lanterns can be ordered online for less than ten euros. In the reviews, users write freely about whether and how well the lights were doing in the night sky. A reference to the fact that they are prohibited in most federal states and that the start requires prior written approval can only be found in some of the articles in the small print. According to lawyer Andreas J. Tryba, it would be rather hopeless to sue a dealer or manufacturer. "Sky lanterns are not the only goods that are legal to own but their use is prohibited." An example is a common speed camera warning app that can be downloaded but not used in traffic.
When is it illegal to let the lanterns rise?
In most federal states, the flammable lights generally have to remain on the ground, for example in Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. Some federal states generally provide for exemptions. However, in the federal states where there is no general prohibition, as shown by online reports, the answer to an inquiry at the responsible regulatory office is usually negative.
Disregard can be punished with a fine of up to 5000 euros, depending on the federal state, but according to Tryba, the lawyer should be between 5 and 1000 euros. This applies regardless of whether there is a fire. In the event of a fire, "even the criminal act of negligent arson could be realized."
But even with a positive decision from the responsible regulatory office, it is still necessary to obtain further approval from the German air traffic control. This also applies, for example, when larger quantities of balloons are let in.
But even with official approval, letting sky lanterns go up can be expensive. The Koblenz Higher Regional Court already ruled in 2015 that it was clearly recognizable that the sky lanterns were "flying arsonists". It has already happened that the costs for the burned-off dock of a marina and even an entire family home were left at the polluter. For example, the special moment of a birthday, wedding or New Year's Eve can cost several hundred thousand euros with some bad luck.
photo gallery
5 pictures
Krefeld Zoo: silent mourning for beloved monkeysDo you know who caused the Krefeld fire?
Yes. The suspected perpetrators reported themselves to the investigators shortly after the devastating fire became known. According to the police, it is a 60-year-old Krefeld woman and her two adult daughters. The three women said they had five sky lanterns on New Year's Eve, said Hoppmann. The lanterns were labeled with good wishes for the new year. According to the investigators, the women were not aware of the damage that sky lanterns can do.
Why could the fire spread to the entire building so quickly?
With the help of video recordings from surveillance cameras from the zoo, the police were able to reconstruct that one of the sky lanterns landed on the roof of the monkey enclosure and started the fire. "It went extremely quickly," said Chief Inspector Gerd Hoppmann at the press conference. The roof of the house was renewed a few years ago after a hailstorm and provided with plexiglass. The material and its flammability would now be examined, says Hoppmann. Dry leaves may also play a role - on the roofs of other enclosures that are covered in the same way, "larger amounts of dry leaves" were found. The fire brigade pointed out that there was no sprinkler or fire alarm system in the monkey house, but this was not yet mandatory in the year of construction 1975.
What punishment can the three women face?
According to the police, all three women were involved in raising the sky lanterns. In this respect, the accusation of negligent arson affects the mother and both adult daughters, said Chief Prosecutor Jens Frobel. This could be punished with a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine. "What ultimately comes out of this will have to be clarified by a court," said Frobel.
In the video: Police on fire in Krefeld Zoo
SASCHA STEINBACH / EPA-EFE / REX
Who has to pay the damage?
The zoo can make civil claims against the mother and her two daughters. It is still unclear whether he will do this - zoo spokeswoman Petra Schwinn did not want to comment on it. If women are billed, chances are that their private liability insurance will step in. "Private liability insurance also covers negligent damage," said Christian Ponzel of the German Insurance Association (GDV). According to the GDV model conditions, only deliberately caused damage is excluded. It would only be different if the women had taken out liability insurance that explicitly excludes the lighting of sky lanterns from the assumption of damage.
Are the dead great apes buried now?
No. The dead animals cannot simply be buried in an animal cemetery. Since they are not pets, but wild animals, a funeral is not allowed, said Petra Schwinn. The animals were handed over to the veterinary inspection office. However, there will be a funeral service for the animals inside the zoo.
When does the zoo open again?
Zoo spokeswoman Schwinn said that the Krefeld Zoo will probably be open to visitors again on Friday. The remains of the monkey house would be torn down after the investigation ended. The fire site will be closed off to prevent disaster tourism as much as possible.
