LATEST FIRE FIGURES

Ref: 570/1113

Issued: 04 February 2008

Recently published government statistics for fires throughout the UK during 2005 show that action is needed to reduce fire fatalities in the home. In particular, there is scope for more effective use of smoke and heat alarms, already proven to be invaluable tools in fire safety.

Although lower than in previous decades, the reduction in the number of domestic fire deaths has stalled at 376 for 2005 - actually up 2 from the previous year – with 11,600 non-fatal casualties. So how can we improve the situation? The first priority is to ensure that as many houses as possible have at least one working smoke alarm but the rate of smoke alarm ownership appears to have levelled out at around 80%. Next, these alarms must operate in the event of a fire and the statistics show a wide difference between battery powered alarms, where 38% failed, and mains powered with just 13% failure rate. Building Regulations now call for mains powered smoke alarms in all new dwellings, so it is our existing housing stock that presents a challenge here.

Recent action in Scotland, via the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, requires private rented housing landlords to ensure that smoke alarms are fitted – and they must be mains powered if installed after 3 September 2007. Elsewhere in the UK, the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), which includes fire protection, is being used by local authorities as a powerful tool, as recent prosecutions have demonstrated, but more specific regulation would be helpful.

Other important considerations are the number and location of alarms - both to detect a fire as soon as possible and ensure that occupants are alerted, and awoken if necessary. The latest Code of Practice BS 5839-6:2004 recommends smoke or heat alarms in Living Rooms and a heat alarm in every Kitchen, as well as the usual smoke alarms in circulation areas. But In England, Wales and Scotland Building Regulations still only require smoke alarms in corridors and some kitchens, which fails to address the 52% of all fatalities occurring in the room where the fire started.
The exception is Northern Ireland which has adopted the Code of Practice requirements to good effect.

The latest statistics highlight significant differences in fire fatality rates (per million population or pmp) between UK countries.
The rate increased over the previous year from 7.3 to 7.7 in England and from 8.8 to 10.5 in Wales,
while Scotland had the highest rate of 12.8, although an improvement over 2004. But, in contrast,
Northern Ireland saw an impressive fall from 8.2 to 4.6, by far the lowest death rate - suggesting that consistent application
of the principles behind the Code of Practice really does save lives. For more information, visit www.smoke-alarms.co.uk.