Reference: FOI 091/23

Number of domestic fires

Received 24 July 2023

Request

Could I please request data on the following:

  • The total number of domestic fires attended in the most recent one-year period you have available.
  • The cause or category of each fire, if possible.

Response

Provided are results for the last fiscal year – 2022-04-01 to 2023-04-01

Main cause Accidental Deliberate Not Known Total
Cooking - other cooking 75     75
Heat source and combustibles brought together deliberately   66   66
Fault in equipment or appliance 63     63
Combustible articles too close to heat source (or fire) 48   1 49
Other 36   3 43
Cooking - chip pan/deep fat fryer 34     34
Careless handling - due to careless disposal 30     30
Overheating, unknown cause 15   8 23
Faulty leads to equipment or appliance 21     21
Negligent use of equipment or appliance (heat source) 15   1 16
Faulty fuel supply - electricity 13     13
Accumulation of flammable material 8     8
Careless handling - due to knocking over 6     6
Playing with fire (or heat source) 6     6
Chimney fire 5     5
Careless handling - due to sleep or unconsciousness 4     4
Bomb/incendiary device       4
Other intentional burning out of control 2     2
Suicide/attempted: setting fire to self   2   2
Bonfire burning out of control 2     2
Not Known 1     1
Faulty fuel supply 1     1
Natural occurrence 1     1
Total 386 76 13 475