More than half fatal house fires in last five years linked to smoking

MORE THAN half of all recent fatal house fires in West Yorkshire were caused by dropped cigarettes or other smoking materials.

A review by West Yorkshire Fire Service found that of the 53 people who died in accidental house fires in the last five years, 27 lives were claimed in blazes started by smoking materials. Other common factors were found to be mental health issues and age - and more than twothirds of victims lived alone at the time of the fire.

The brigade has carried out a review of all accidental fatal house fires that took place between 2012 and 2017, and the findings will be discussed by the West Yorkshire Fire Authority’s Community Safety Committee on Friday.

The report found that of the 53 people who died in house fires, 64 per cent lived alone, 50 per cent were over the age of 55 and 55 per cent were smokers. Smoking materials was found to be the cause in 27 out of the 53 cases and nine people died from fires caused by cooking.

The findings also show that fatal house fires are more likely to happen in deprived areas, and 62 per cent occurred in properties described as terraced housing or a flat or bedsit. Thirty-two per cent of fatal house fires started in a bedroom, and 38 per cent started in a living room.

By studying the incidents, the brigade found that in most cases there was more than one “risk factor”, including smoking, old age, impairment or “poor housekeeping”.

The report acknowledged that while campaigns have focused on preventing fires caused by “carelessly discarded cigarettes”, smoking materials were “still the most common cause of ignition”.