FIRE STATISTICS MONITOR: Covering up to 31 December 2004
Fires
The UK fire and rescue service attended over 890,000 fires or false alarms (712,500 in England) in 2004 ? 19% less than in the previous year. The total number of fires attended fell by 29% to 441,200. Within this total, the number of primary fires (fires involving property, vehicles and/or casualties) fell by 15% to 180,300 ? the lowest since 1990. Secondary fires fell by 37% to 251,100, due to a return to more seasonally average weather conditions during 2004. There were 59,300 fires in the home, a fall of 7% compared with the previous year. In England, there were 347,900 fires consisting of 149,800 primary fires (of which, 47,700 were in dwellings) and 192,000 secondary fires.Deaths and Injuries
The provisional total number of fire related deaths recorded in the UK fell to 532 in 2004 from 593 in the previous year - this is the lowest since 1960. Within this total, 326 deaths were from accidental dwelling fires, compared with 395 a year earlier, a fall of 17%. Injuries resulting from fires fell by 7% to 14,400 (of these 9,900 were in accidental dwelling fires). In England, 395 fire deaths and 11,300 injuries were recorded. In England there were 232 deaths in accidental dwelling fires compared with 302 in the previous year, a fall of 23%.
False alarms
The number of false fire alarms attended in the uk fell by 5% to 448,800. within this category the number of malicious false alarms fell by 16% to 49,300 whilst false alarms due to apparatus increased by 2% to 286,200. In england, a total of 364,600 false alarms were attended.
Publication of Fire Statistics
Summary fire statistics are published quarterly in the form of a statistical monitor via the odpm web site. The latest detailed annual statistical bulletin ("Fire Statistics, UK, 2003") contains trends and analysis for the years 1993-2003 and was published on 10 March 2005.
1. The figures in the quarterly 'Fire Statistics Monitor' publication are compiled from reports submitted to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) on fires and fire false alarms attended by the Fire and Rescue Service throughout the UK.
2. Detailed information is collected on all fires in buildings, vehicles and outdoor structures and any fires involving casualties or rescues (i.e.'primary' fires). Less detailed aggregated information is collected on 'secondary' and chimney fires; so subsequent analysis of them is limited.
3. 'Primary' fires include all fires in buildings, vehicles and outdoor structures or any fire involving casualties, rescues, or fires attended by five or more appliances. 'Secondary' fires are the majority of outdoor fires including grassland and refuse fires unless they involve casualties or rescues, property loss or five or more appliances attend. They include fires in single derelict buildings. Chimney fires are any fires in occupied buildings where the fire was confined within the chimney structure (and did not involve casualties or rescues or attendance by five or more appliances).
4. A person whose death is attributed to a fire is counted as a fatality even if death occurred weeks or months later. However, it is not always the case that fire was the cause of death. The latest figures for fatalities are provisional and subject to revision as information supplied by fire brigades needs to be cross-checked against the cause of death that appears on the death certificate. The main area of uncertainty is whether fire was the cause of death in road accident fatalities.
5. Fire Statistics are part of the National Statistics series which are produced to high professional standards, as set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. For more information on National Statistics see www.statistics.gov.uk
6. Copies of the latest 'Fire Statistics Monitor' and other fire statistical publications can be downloaded via http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_control/documents/contentservertemplate/odpm_index.hcst?n=7163&l=5
7. For further information please contact the Fire Statistics and Research Division on 020 7944 5716 or 01923 892900.
Press Enquiries: 020 7944 3042
Out of Hours: 020 7944 5945
E-mail: press.office@odpm.gsi.gov.uk
Public Enquiries: 020 7944 4400
ODPM website: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_control/documents/homepage/odpm_home_page.hcsp
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