Fires
Fire and Rescue Services in the UK attended nearly 1.1 million fires and false fire alarms during 2003.
The total number of fires was 621,000, with 10% of these involving fires in the home.
503,800 of the fires were outdoors. 43% involved refuse (bonfires, derelict vehicles, refuse containers), 30% involved grass and heathland and 18% involved (non derelict) road vehicles fires.
There were 11,600 chimney fires.
Of all fires involving property, vehicles and/or casualties, 97,7000 were started accidentally. 51% were in homes (50,000), 24% were in other buildings and 20% involved road vehicles.
House fires account for 30% of all property fires. Of these 63,800, 78% were started accidentally.
Approximately one fifth of dwelling fires were started deliberately, killing 117 people and injuring 3,200 others.
In 2003, there were 41,700 fires involving buildings other than houses. 45% of these were started deliberately.
Deaths and injuries
In 2003 there were 593 fire-related deaths in the UK, with 395 deaths from accidental house fires, 35% of which were caused by the careless disposal of smoking materials.
The fatality rate in fires is higher for males than females.
The highest fatality rates occur in those aged 80 and over.
There were 15,500 people injured from fires in 2003. Of these, 10,400 were injured in accidental dwelling fires.
Causes
- Misuse of electrical equipment/appliances caused 17,400 house fires
- Chip pans caused 8,400 house fires
- Faulty appliances caused 7,000 house fires
- Careless handling of fire or hot substances (e.g. cigarettes) caused 5,000 house fires
- Items placed too close to the heat caused 4,600 house fires
- Cooking appliances started 28,400 accidental house fires
Smoking materials (cigarettes, pipes, cigars) started 4,200 accidental house fires
- Electrical appliances started 5,600 accidental house fires
- Electrical leads, wiring and cables started 2,800 accidental house fires
Candles started 1,800 accidental house fires
Smoke alarms
Around 76% of households have a smoke alarm fitted.
However, in 54% of house fires, a smoke alarm was absent, resulting in 261 deaths and 6,100 injuries.
[These statistics were taken from Fire Statistics 2003, published by the ODPM in March 2005]
Economic cost of fire
Fire continues to impose significant costs on the economy of England and Wales. In 2003, the total cost is estimated at £7.7billion, approximately 0.9% of the national income of England and Wales.
The direct losses from fire - including damage to property, death and injury and loss of output through work absence - are estimated at £3.3bn in 2003.
Costs in anticipation of fire - insurance administration and fire prevention measures -amounted to £2.8bn
The cost of providing fire cover is around £1.7billion.
The average cost of a domestic fire is £25,300 and is one of the most expensive incidents that can happen to any household.
The average cost of fire in a commercial building is £58,100. This includes the economic cost of injuries and fatalities.
The average cost of a vehicle fire is estimated at £4,700.
A large number of incidents attended by the Fire and Rescue Service are either false alarms or non-building fires. The cost of attending these incidents was estimated at £1.4 billion.
The total cost of arson in 2003 is estimated at £2.8 billion, which includes cost of fire protection.
The cost of FRS response to malicious false alarms is estimated at £83 million.
[Costs calculated using figures quoted in Home Office Research Study 229 "The Economic Cost of Fire"]