A sky lantern company has been slammed for turning the deadly fire at a German zoo into a 'PR opportunity'.

It is suspected that Chinese sky lanterns may have been to blame for the blaze at the monkey house in Krefeld Zoo in north western Germany.

Roughly 30 animals died in the devastating fire which broke out shortly after midnight on New Year's Day with only two chimpanzees 'miraculously' rescued.

They suffered burns but are in a stable condition, zoo director Wolfgang Dressen said.

A mum and her two daughters are being quizzed by police over the release of sky lanterns near the zoo on New Year's Eve.

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The women are being investigated on suspicion of negligent arson, prosecutor Jens Frobel said.

Chinese lanterns are a type of hot-air balloon made of paper, and have been used in Asia for celebratory events for centuries. The fire heats the air inside, making them fly and shine at night. 

This morning Night Sky Lanterns, a UK company, tweeted: "We are deeply sad for the loss of over 30 animals/apes at Krefeld Zoo.

"Lets lit (sic) 30 sky lanterns to remember this tragedy.

"Hopefully this will help reminding everyone the importance of choosing only sky lanterns made with high quality materials".

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Social media users were quick to slam the company.

Replying on Twitter they said: "How did you win the scummiest tweet of 2020, on the 2nd Jan! Well done!"

Another added: "You must be joking; light more of the things that caused the fire to commemorate the deaths of the animals killed?!

"Incredibly poor and tasteless way to drum up business folks".

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Humane Aware, an advocacy group for the humane treatment of animals, said: "We sincerely hope that you are not trying to profiteer or promote your corporate social responsibility credentials on the back of this horrible tragedy.

"That would be wholly unethical and contemptible."

Five orangutans, a 48-year-old silverback gorilla and dozens of monkeys as well as fruit bats and birds were among the creatures killed in the fire.

A funeral for the dead animals will be organised for employees of the zoo.

Night Sky Lanterns added in a follow up tweet: "Many of our customers know how close we are involved with many Charities and we always do our very best to support good causes including Krefeld Zoo."

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Night Sky Lanterns director Fabio Paduanelli said he stood by the tweet.

They said: "It's making people aware of safer, better lanterns.

"It's not about banning things, that's not a way to move forward. You wouldn't have progress.

"This is not a PR campaign, it's just a way of helping the zoo if possible deal with this tragedy.

"Even if it was a sky lantern the blame should go to the people and where they used it."

He added that the lanterns sold by Night Sky Lanterns were 'safe'.

The zoo said that in addition to the two rescued chimpanzees, the Gorilla Garden near to the Ape House did not go up in flames and that gorilla Kidogo and six other members of his family group are alive.

The zoo director also said than many of the dead animals were close to extinction in the wild.   

The use of sky lanterns is illegal in Krefeld and most other parts of Germany.

Gerd Hoppmann, the city’s head of criminal police, said: “People reported seeing those sky lanterns flying at low altitude near the zoo and then it started burning."

Mr Hoppmann said investigators found some used lanterns on the ground that had not burned entirely.

They were 34cm (13.4in) long, made out of white paper with an opening at the bottom where a small fire would have been suspended.

Mr Hoppmann said some of the lanterns had handwritten notes on them.

Krefeld Zoo was opened in 1975 and attracts some 400,000 visitors each year.

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