The IKEA goat has expired, according to Vísir. Foul play is not suspected. On the contrary, the goat is believed to have been the victim of self-destruction. Malfunctioning Christmas lights appear to have caused the goat to fall into a burning ring of fire, which erupted around 1:00 pm today. The animal went up in flames in a matter of seconds.
More than once, vandals have put fire to this type of goat in the past, resulting in tightened security around the breed. It has, in fact, enjoyed 24-hour protection.
“It appears to have committed suicide,” IKEA CEO Þórarinn Ævarsson declares. The goat is made of straw and is not believed to have suffered. The financial pain of IKEA, though, amounts to ISK one million (USD 7,800, EUR 7,000) in Christmas light costs. The goat was six meters (20 feet) tall. Þórarinn says the tradition has been to increase the size of the goat every time it has burned down. The original goat measured 4 meters (13 feet) in height.
Þórarinn denies this being a marketing stunt. He maintains his innocence and emphasizes the Christmas lights were not purchased at IKEA. He refuses to reveal where they were bought.
“This goat is much too valuable and has much too special a place in my heart for me to put it on fire,” he adamantly maintains.
There is no information regarding whether the case is being investigated.
