Deaths in house blazes increase ‘because of budget cuts to fire services’ Numbers of people killed in house fires have risen sharply in England and crews are taking longer to reach blazes, […]

Numbers of people killed in house fires have risen sharply in England and crews are taking longer to reach blazes, new figures have revealed.

The increase in fatalities and the lengthening response times have been blamed by unions and MPs on cuts to emergency services’ budgets.

“In a fire every second counts” The i politics newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription. Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union

The Home Office statistics showed that there were 303 fire-related deaths in England in 2015-2016, an increase of 15 per cent over the previous year.

Of these deaths, 229 occurred in homes, a rise of 17.4 per cent.

Response times rise

The average response time to reach serious fires increased to 8 minutes and 47 seconds, up by 3 seconds since the previous year and by 31 seconds since 2010.

In mainly rural areas the response time was 9 minutes and 45 seconds, up by 13 seconds since 2014-15 and by 48 seconds since 2010.

Matt Wrack, the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: “In a fire every second counts. Those extra seconds might not sound like long and ministers will try to dismiss them. But in an emergency, that time can be the difference between life and death.”

The union says 9,668 firefighter jobs have been lost across the UK, including 8,209 in England, while spending on the English fire services was cut by 25 per cent between 2010 and 2015, with further cuts in the pipeline.

“Firefighters are doing their best to provide a world class service, but the government have compromised the service by axing thousands of posts, closing fire stations and cutting equipment. It is the public who will pay the price of the government’s folly,” Mr Wrack added.

‘More lives could be lost’

The Scottish Parliament recently reported a 14 per cent rise in numbers of fire-related deaths and casualties over the last year, while the number of deaths in Wales remained unchanged.

The Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland said: “We urgently need more investment in our fire and rescue services or the tragic reality is more lives will unnecessarily be lost.

“Our firefighters do an incredible job, but they cannot keep communities safe if funding for frontline services is continually slashed.”

Brandon Lewis, the minister for the fire service, said: “There is absolutely no question that fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work. But like all parts of the public sector they will need to increase efficiency and deliver reform.”



He said: “Public safety is a Government priority and our fire and rescue services do vital, life-saving work day in and day out.”