Lancashire Leads the Way in Reducing Accidental House Fires

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) has reduced the number of accidental house fires across the county, cutting them by more than twice the national average, new data shows.

Over the past three years, Lancashire recorded 2,217 accidental house fires, averaging 739 per year, or 62 per month. The latest figures show a 15% drop compared to the average of the previous two years. This is more than double the 4.5% reduction seen across the UK in the last two years.

The fall in fires is due to LFRS’s fire prevention work, which includes:

  • Carrying out 21,736 home fire safety checks, giving advice and fitting smoke alarms where needed.

  • Installing 9,013 smoke alarms to improve early warning in homes.

  • Fire safety campaign messages were read over 41.4 million times, making sure important safety advice is widely shared.

  • Teaching 56,130 young people about fire safety.

  • Running safety campaigns on risks such as cooking, heating, electrical appliances, and lithium-ion batteries.

  • Holding station open days and community events to share fire safety advice.

  • Visiting homes near recent fire incidents to provide immediate safety advice.

Blackpool saw one of the biggest improvements, with house fires dropping from 120 in 2023 to 77 in 2024, showing how effective these prevention efforts have been.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Samantha Pink said: “This drop in house fires shows the hard work of our firefighters, support staff, and community partners. Fire prevention is a key part of our service, and these figures prove that taking action before a fire happens makes a real difference.

“Having a working smoke alarm is one of the best ways to stay safe, as it reduces the risk of fatalities in a fire by eight times. We urge all residents to check their alarms regularly and take simple steps to prevent fires in their homes.”

 

Fire Safety Advice from LFRS

  • Make sure you have working smoke alarms on every floor of your home.

  • Test your smoke alarms regularly to check they work.

  • Plan an escape route and make sure everyone in your home knows it.

  • If a fire starts, get out, stay out, and call 999.

 

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to reducing fire incidents even further. Residents can book a free Home Fire Safety Check to assess their fire risk by visiting www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk/home-fire-safety-check or calling 0800 169 1125.