Memorial sky lantern nearly burns down Oklahoma man's house




MOORE, Okla. - An Oklahoma homeowner narrowly avoided disaster after coming home to find a sky lantern burning on his roof.

Taylor Kaufman said he saw a couple sky lanterns above his neighborhood Friday night, but one of them ended up too close to home. When Kaufman pulled into his driveway, he realized that one of them was about to set his home on fire.

Kaufman said he was able to grab the lantern from the eaves and put it out before the flames spread to his roof.

On the lantern, Kaufman said he found a special message for a loved one who had passed away.

"I had been gone for two hours, so I would have never known what would have happened until I pulled up. I mean, I've got dogs in there and personal items," he said.

Officials warn that not only are the lanterns dangerous, but they are also illegal under Oklahoma law. Senate Bill 63, signed into law in 2013, made using anything similar to the sky lanterns illegal.

"You're going to burn somebody's house down you don't even know," he said.