Latest fire statistics are a call to action

Here at AEL Systems, we take fire safety very seriously. Even a cursory glance at the latest official fire statistics should be enough to convince any business presently without a fire safety system that’s it’s time to have one installed.

At the start of the year, the Home Office assumed control of fire services from the department for communities and local government. The first set of fire statistics published since then considers the causes of fires, as well as the seasonality and temporality of fires, and the use of smoke alarms.

The startling statistics for the year 2014/15 include the following:

• Fire and rescue services attended around 496,000 incidents in that period and of these, 31% were fire related, with 6% (or 31,000 incidents), dwelling fires.
• There were 4.8 fire-related deaths for every one million people in England, 41% of which were people aged 65 or older.
• Nearly half (46%) of all fires took place between 4pm and 10pm.
• Some 30% of all fires, and 35% of all fatalities, occurred in dwellings where no smoke alarm was present.
• In terms of starting fires, smoker’s apparatus, such as cigarettes, cigars, and pipes, were the igniters blamed for 36% of deaths in all accidental dwelling fires. 
• Around 50% of all accidental dwelling fires were caused by cooking appliances.
• In terms of fatalities, the numbers tend to be more stable during the daytime with 25% of all fatalities occurring between midnight and 6am.

While no one really needs to be told that fires can have devastating consequences – for both people and property - it can be all too easy to become complacent. If you’re an employer and want to find out how we can help to keep your employees safe from the hazards of fire, please give us a call today on 01325 467398.