Two arsonists came close to injure themselves when they tried to burn down the giant IKEA Christmas goat last night. The goat escaped unscathed and is still standing erect the shop of the Swedish furniture and household maker in Garðabær, a Reykjavík suburb.
Local news site Vísir published the video footage below, captured by IKEA's surveillance cameras system, showing what is probably a homemade Molotov cocktail catching fire in the hands of one of the two wannabe arsonists.
Thankfully, for their sake, he manages to drop it before it really takes off.
The duo managed to escape before police arrived, and the only victim was the bush where the Molotov cocktail landed.
In recent years the IKEA goat has been the victim of either arsonists or the fierce Icelandic winter winds except last year it self destructed when its faulty Christmas lights caused a fire and reduced it to ashes in a matter of seconds.
Read more: Video: IKEA Christmas Goat self-destructs and is reduced to ashes in a matter of seconds
The 10 m (32 ft) high goat is a version of the traditional Swedish Yule Goat. These oversized versions are popular Christmas decorations in towns around the Nordic countries.
The most famous one has been erected annually in Swedish town Gävle since 1966. It is also a recurring target for arsonists having been burnt down 34 times. On Sunday 27 November, friends of the Gävle Goat will gather on the town’s Slottstorget to celebrate it’s 50th birthday.
Two arsonists came close to injure themselves when they tried to burn down the giant IKEA Christmas goat last night. The goat escaped unscathed and is still standing erect the shop of the Swedish furniture and household maker in Garðabær, a Reykjavík suburb.
Local news site Vísir published the video footage below, captured by IKEA's surveillance cameras system, showing what is probably a homemade Molotov cocktail catching fire in the hands of one of the two wannabe arsonists.
Thankfully, for their sake, he manages to drop it before it really takes off.
The duo managed to escape before police arrived, and the only victim was the bush where the Molotov cocktail landed.
In recent years the IKEA goat has been the victim of either arsonists or the fierce Icelandic winter winds except last year it self destructed when its faulty Christmas lights caused a fire and reduced it to ashes in a matter of seconds.
Read more: Video: IKEA Christmas Goat self-destructs and is reduced to ashes in a matter of seconds
The 10 m (32 ft) high goat is a version of the traditional Swedish Yule Goat. These oversized versions are popular Christmas decorations in towns around the Nordic countries.
The most famous one has been erected annually in Swedish town Gävle since 1966. It is also a recurring target for arsonists having been burnt down 34 times. On Sunday 27 November, friends of the Gävle Goat will gather on the town’s Slottstorget to celebrate it’s 50th birthday.
