Shropshire fire death toll highest for 13 years

The number of people killed in fires in Shropshire hit a 13-year high over the past seven months, a report revealed today.

Eight people died in accidental blazes in the county in the six months between April and October with fire service bosses today describing the figure as a 'serious concern' and noted that only one of the five homes where a fatal fire broke out had a working smoke alarm.

The annual average for the county is two deaths from accidental fires.

A report by chief fire officer Paul Raymond to the Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority said six people died in fires at homes in the county while two died in vehicle fires during the time period.

He said: "This represents the highest number of fire deaths experienced in the area in 13 years, with four months of the reporting year still remaining.

"The number of deaths is of serious concern to us."

The report said five females and one male died in five separate property fires in the six-month period.

Four of the females who died were over 55 and all of the victims were known to other agencies such as the Primary Care Trust.

The report said: "Of the five properties involved only one has been confirmed to have had a working smoke alarm.

"The cause of death is yet to be confirmed in all cases but asphyxiation (lack of oxygen to the body) is likely to be the predominant, if not the, sole cause."

It added the cause of the house fires was due to either electrical items or cooking.

The report, which will be presented to members of the authority at a meeting tomorrow, also said the circumstances surrounding the deaths allowed officials to draw up a profile of the next person who could die in an accidental fire.

It said the next victim was likely to be that of an elderly woman, living alone in a house with a smoke alarm that was not working.

It said the likely cause of death would be suffocation from toxic gas.

The report said a large amount of work had been done to raise awareness of the danger of fires following the tragedies.

It said: "In addition to the extensive work in the vicinity of each of the fatal fires, the service has mounted campaigns to increase awareness of the need to remain vigilant following the tragedies that have occurred via extensive coverage in the media."

It added that the number of accidental house fires had fallen by more than a third in the last 13 years.

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