News Flash / 15TN "Round Baby" Sky Lantern Burns After Takeoff Due to Wind and Rain

▲ Due to poor weather conditions, the Round Baby sky lantern caught fire shortly after takeoff. (Photo / Provided by Eastern TV News)

Reported by Chen Rui-zhong / Taipei

The much-anticipated "Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival" reached its highlight on the evening of the 14th — the release of a 15TN-tall "Round Baby" sky lantern. As the adorable, round-shaped lantern appeared before the public in Pingxi, onlookers couldn’t help but exclaim, “So cute!”

After being inscribed with blessings by New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu and Taipei City Mayor Hau Lung-pin, the Round Baby lantern slowly ascended. Though the launch initially went smoothly, strong winds and rain caused the lantern to catch fire just dozens of meters up, as flames tilted and scorched the outer material. The crowd’s admiration quickly turned to gasps.

% The 5TN-tall Round Baby sky lantern, with its adorable design, was one of the key highlights of this year’s Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Government)

According to the New Taipei City Government’s Tourism and Travel Bureau, although the lantern took off and ascended smoothly, unfortunate weather conditions prevented it from soaring higher — a real pity. Fortunately, the event site had well-planned fire safety measures in place to meet regulations, so no injuries occurred.

The "Round Baby" sky lantern features a black-and-white color scheme, stands 4.5 meters (15TN) tall, with a head width of 2 meters and waist width of 3.5 meters. Its design was authorized for use by New Taipei City from Taipei City Government, making it the largest Round Baby product to date.

Due to its large size and unique shape, the Round Baby lantern was entirely handcrafted. Since its first public appearance on January 28, it has been a highly anticipated feature of the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate, preventing the lantern from shining brightly in the sky for long.