The Scottish Government

Next »

Listen

Statistical Bulletin
Criminal Justice series: CrJ/2005/3

FIRE STATISTICS SCOTLAND, 2003

Published March 2005

A Scottish Executive National Statistic Publication

This document is also available in pdf format (500k)

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Main Points
3. Commentary
3.1 Total number of fires
3.2 Dwellings fires
3.3 Outdoor fires
3.4 Casualties from fires
3.5 Casualty rates from fires
3.6 Deliberate fires
3.7 Accidental fires
3.8 Fatal casualties in dwelling fires
3.9 Smoke alarms
3.10 Causes of fires
3.11 False fire alarms
3.12 Call out times to fires
3.13 Casualties from fires in dwellings, by time of call
4. Appendix of Tables
5. Notes on statistics used in this bulletin
5.1 Source of Statistics
5.2 Definitions: primary fires, secondary and chimney fires and false alarms
5.3 Data for primary fires
5.4 Fatalities
5.5 Deliberate and accidental fires
5.6 False alarms
5.7 Selection of samples of primary fires, since 1994
5.8 Statistical sample confidence limits
5.9 An example for car fires
5.10 Definitions
5.11 Standard Industrial Classification (Trade or business)
5.12 Symbols
5.13 Sources of fire statistics
5.14 Industrial Action
Scottish Executive Statistical Services
Correspondence and enquiries

1. Introduction

This bulletin is the fourth in the series, presenting statistics on fires in Scotland. These statistics are compiled from reports submitted to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on fires attended by all United Kingdom (UK) local authority fire brigades in 2003. This bulletin provides a detailed overview of Scottish fire statistics over the past decade, at a brigade and Scotland level with comparison with the other UK countries.

Due to the industrial action by firefighters in November 2002 and January and February 2003, the reporting of fires for these months was disrupted. In total 15 24-hour periods were affected. In order to present the most accurate picture of the fires, casualties and false alarms which occurred in 2002 and 2003, in some cases estimates have been incorporated in this publication to account for the missing information in January and February. However, for the more complex tables the figures are as reported by brigades and therefore exclude any estimates for strike days.

This bulletin is the collective work of staff within the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Fire Statistics and Research Branch, and the Scottish Executive Justice Statistics Unit. In particular we would like to thank Lyndsey Avery and Jon Gamble from the Fire Statistics and Research Branch for the provision of the bulletin tables.

2. Main Points

• The hot summer of 2003 led to increased grassland fires, causing the number of secondary fires to increase by 47 per cent between 2002 and 2003. Because of this, total fires (primary, secondary and chimney fires) increased by 25 per cent between 2002 and 2003, reaching 65,600. Secondary fires accounted for 69 per cent of all fires, compared with 59 per cent in 2002.
• Compared to 2002, primary fires fell by 6 per cent to stand at 18,000. In 2003 primary fires accounted for 27 per cent of all fires, compared with 36 per cent in 2002. Almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of primary fires were in buildings, 28 per cent were road vehicle fires and the remaining primary fires were other outdoor fires.
• Chimney fires fell by 12 per cent between 2002 and 2003 to 2,200 (3 per cent of all fires compared with 5 per cent in 2002).
• In Scotland there were a total of 80 fatal casualties in 2003 - an increase of 4 per cent compared with 2002. Sixty-one fatal casualties (76 per cent) occurred in dwelling fires and 10 (13 per cent) were in road vehicles. The number of non-fatal casualties in Scotland in 2003 was 1,880, a decrease of 8 per cent compared with 2002.
• In comparison to the other UK countries, Scotland reported both the highest number of fatal casualties per million population and the highest rate of non-fatal casualties (to those not working for fire brigades) per million population. However, the difference between Scotland and the rest of the UK has narrowed since 2001, when Scotland had nearly twice the fatal casualty rate of the other UK countries. It is of note that the Scottish rate of fatal casualties per 1,000 dwelling fires in 2003 was similar to the rates in the other UK countries. This suggests that the reason for Scotland's higher overall fatality rate per million population reflected a higher risk of dwellings fires rather than a greater likelihood of a fatal casualty occurring in such fires.
• The principal cause of fatal casualties was being overcome by gas and smoke (62 per cent of fatal casualties). A further 22 per cent of fatal casualties were caused by burns alone, and 13 per cent of fatal casualties were caused by a combination of burns and being overcome by smoke.
• Looking at fatal casualties in accidental dwellings fires, the main source of ignition, where specified, was smokers' materials and matches (40 per cent), followed by cooking appliances (33 per cent, mostly involving chip pan fires) and candles (12 per cent).
• There were 7,896 deliberate primary fires, representing 44 per cent of total primary fires in 2003 - down from a ten year high of 46 per cent in 2002. The pattern of accidental fires causing significantly more fatal and non-fatal casualties than deliberate fires has held throughout the past decade.
• In the years since 1994, the majority of fatal casualties have occurred in dwellings fires where either the smoke detector was present but failed to operate or in dwellings fires where a smoke detector was absent.
• In 2003, there were 52,900 total fire false alarms, representing 45 per cent of total call outs to fires (primary, secondary and chimney) and false fire alarms.

3. Commentary

3.1 Total number of fires

The hot summer of 2003 led to increased grassland fires, causing the number of secondary fires to increase by 47 per cent between 2002 and 2003. Because of this, total fires (primary, secondary and chimney fires) increased by 25 per cent between 2002 and 2003, reaching 65,600. Secondary fires accounted for 69 per cent of all fires, compared with 59 per cent in 2002.

Compared to 2002, primary fires fell by 6 per cent to stand at 18,000. In 2003 primary fires accounted for 27 per cent of all fires, compared with 36 per cent in 2002. Almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of primary fires were in buildings, 28 per cent were road vehicle fires and the remaining primary fires were other outdoor fires.

Chimney fires fell by 12 per cent between 2002 and 2003 to 2,200 (3 per cent of all fires compared with 5 per cent in 2002).

Because of the high number of secondary fires in 2003, between 1994 and 2003 the total number of Scottish fires increased by 3,900 (6 per cent). Primary fires fell by 1,700 (9 per cent) over the decade, while chimney fires decreased by 4,900 (69 per cent).

3.2 Dwellings fires

Scottish dwellings fires accounted for 69 per cent (8,043 fires) of Scotland's total buildings fires in 2003. This compares with 59 per cent for England, 56 per cent for Wales and 65 per cent for Northern Ireland. In comparison to 1994 dwellings fires are down by 16 per cent and all other buildings fires are down by 15 per cent.

3.3 Outdoor fires

Most (88 per cent) outdoor fires are secondary fires, which have been influenced by the trends discussed above. The most common types of outdoors fires in 2003 were refuse fires (including fires in refuse containers), accounting for 49 per cent of all outdoors fires, and grassland fires, accounting for 31 per cent of all outdoors fires. Primary fires accounted for 12 per cent of outdoors fires. The most common types of primary outdoor fire in Scotland are road vehicles fires (4,998, or 79 per cent of all primary outdoor fires in Scotland in 2003), followed by fires in outdoor machinery and equipment (387, or 6 per cent of the total).

Over the last 10 years, primary outdoor fires in Scotland have risen by 8 per cent, while total secondary fires have risen by 30 per cent. The principal categories of secondary fires that this rise can be attributed to are (i) an increase in grassland fires of 6,403 (66 per cent, (ii) an increase in refuse fires of 3,118 (14 per cent) and (iii) an increase in derelict vehicle fires of 997 (665 per cent).

3.4 Casualties from fires

In Scotland, there were a total of 80 fatal casualties in 2003 - an increase of 3 fatal casualties, or 4 per cent, on the figures from 2002. Sixty-one fatal casualties (76 per cent) occurred in dwellings fires and 10 (13 per cent) were in road vehicles

Excluding fatal casualties occurring during industrial action in January and February 2003, the principal cause of fatal casualties was being overcome by gas and smoke (48 fatal casualties, or 62 per cent). A further 17 (22 per cent) fatal casualties were caused by burns alone, and 10 (13 per cent) fatal casualties were caused by a combination of burns and being overcome by smoke.

The number of non-fatal casualties in Scotland in 2003 was 1,880, a decrease of 8 per cent compared with 2002. Of these non-fatal casualties, 1,625 occurred in dwellings fires (86 per cent), 140 (7 per cent) occurred in other buildings and 69 (4 per cent) occurred in road vehicles.

3.5 Casualty rates from fires

Excluding incidents during industrial action in January and February 2003 for which there is no age breakdown, there were 15 fatal casualties per million population in Scotland in 2003 (including the fatal casualties which occurred during industrial action increases this to 16 fatal casualties per million population). In that year, the age group with the highest rate of fatal casualties was 80 and over, with 59 per million population. The second highest rate was for the 65-79 age group with 21 per million population, followed by the 60-64 group with 15 per million population. There were no fatal casualties of babies aged under 1.

In comparison to the other UK countries, Scotland reported both the highest number of fatal casualties per million population (16 fatal casualties per million population when strike estimates are included) and the highest rate of non-fatal casualties (to those not working for fire brigades) per million population (364 non-fatal casualties per million population). The equivalent figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, were 9, 10 and 8, and 240, 271 and 247 respectively. Although Scotland still has the highest rate of fatal casualties compared with the other UK countries, this differential has narrowed since 2001. In 2001 the fatal casualty rate in Scotland was nearly double that in the rest of the UK; in 2003 the level was only around 50 per cent higher. Within Scotland the number of fatal casualties per million population was highest in Lothian and Borders and Fife (20 fatal casualties per million population), followed by Highlands and Islands (18 fatal casualties per million population) and Strathclyde (17 fatal casualties per million population). The remaining brigade areas reported fatal casualty rates which were less than the Scottish rate.

3.6 Deliberate fires

There were 7,896 deliberate primary fires, representing 44 per cent of total primary fires in 2003 - the first decrease in the percentage of primary fires since 1999. In 2003, there were 10 fatal casualties from deliberate fires, accounting for 13 per cent of total fatal casualties. There were 357 deliberate fire non-fatal casualties in 2003, accounting for 19 per cent of Scotland's total non-fatal casualties.

3.7 Accidental fires

There were 10,130 accidental primary fires in 2003 accounting for 56 per cent of total primary fires. There were 69 accidental fire fatal casualties in 2003, accounting for 86 per cent of total fatal casualties. There were 1,523 accidental fire non-fatal casualties in 2003, accounting for 81 per cent of total non-fatal casualties. The pattern of accidental fires causing significantly more fatal and non-fatal casualties than deliberate fires has held throughout the decade.

3.8 Fatal casualties in dwelling fires

The 61 fatal casualties in dwelling fires in 2003 represented a rate of 8 fatal casualties per 1,000 dwelling fires. This rate is similar to the rate in the other countries of the UK. In 2001, the Scottish rate was substantially higher than in the other UK countries. The similarity in 2003 between Scotland and the rest of the UK in the fatal casualty rate per 1,000 fires suggests that the reason for Scotland's higher overall fatal casualty rate per million population in 2003 reflected a higher risk of dwelling fires rather than a higher likelihood of a fatal casualty occurring in such fires.

A new table presented in this bulletin looks at the source of ignition and cause of fire for fatal casualties in accidental dwellings fires. The main source of ignition, where specified, is smokers' materials and matches (40 per cent) followed by cooking appliances (33 per cent), mainly involving chip pan fires, and candles (12 per cent).

3.9 Smoke alarms

In 2003, 3,625 dwellings fires (45 per cent of the total number of dwellings fires) occurred in dwellings without a smoke detector. This compares to 34 per cent (2,758 fires) of total Scottish dwellings fires which occurred in dwellings where a smoke detector was present, operated and raised the alarm. In the years since 1994, the majority of fatal casualties have occurred in dwellings fires where either a smoke alarm was absent (28 fatal casualties, or 46 per cent of the total in 2003) or the smoke detector was present but failed to operate (18 fatal casualties, or 30 per cent, in 2003).

3.10 Causes of fires

The number of deliberate fires in dwellings was 1,790, or 22 per cent, of the 8,043 total Scottish dwellings fires in 2003 - slightly down on the ten year high of 23 per cent in 2002. The remaining 78 per cent of total Scottish accidental dwellings fires were mainly spread across various causes such as misuse of equipment or appliances (2,215 fires - 28 per cent) and chip or fat pan fires (1,652 - 21 per cent).

3.11 False fire alarms

In 2003, total false fire alarms in Scotland constituted 52,900 incidents, representing 45 per cent of total call outs to fires (primary, secondary and chimney) and false fire alarms. This is down from 51 per cent of total call outs in 2002.

In 2003, 30,331 false fire alarms or 57 per cent of total false fire alarms were caused due to apparatus failure. The 6,949 malicious false fire alarms accounted for 13 per cent of total false fire alarms. Malicious false alarms have fallen annually since the peak of 22,500 incidents recorded in 1992, when they accounted for 43 per cent of total false fire alarms.

3.12 Call out times to fires

In Scotland in 2003 the majority of call outs to all fires generally occurred from early afternoon through to late evening (approximately 4pm to midnight). Scotland's peak total fires call out occurred at around 8pm.

Dwelling fires in Scotland show a peak period between 4pm and 8pm, a similar pattern to the other countries in the UK. Callouts to outdoor fires generally occur throughout the evening and night, between 7pm and 2am.

3.13 Casualties from fires in dwellings, by time of call

In 2003, fires in dwellings were most likely to cause fatal and non-fatal casualties in the early morning (approximately midnight to 9am).

4. Appendix of Tables

Table 1: Fires by location, Scotland, 1994-2003
Table 1(a): Fires by location and brigade area, Scotland (England, Wales & Northern Ireland), 2003
Table 2: Fires by location detail for buildings, Scotland, 1994-2003
Table 2(a): Fires by location detail of buildings and brigade area, Scotland (England, Wales & Northern Ireland), 2003
Table 3: Fires by location detail for outdoor fires, Scotland, 1994-2003
Table 3(a): Fires by location detail for outdoor fires and by brigade area, Scotland (England, Wales & Northern Ireland), 2003
Table 4: Casualties from fires by location group, Scotland, 1994-2003
Table 4(a): Casualties from fire by location group and brigade area, Scotland (England, Wales and Northern Ireland), 2003
Table 5: Casualties from fires by age and cause of death/nature of injury, Scotland, 2003
Table 5(a): Casualties from fires by age and cause of death/nature of injury, per million population, Scotland, 2003
Table 6: Casualties from fires by brigade area, Scotland (England, Wales & Northern Ireland), 2003
Table 7: Fires and casualties by motive of fire, Scotland, 1994-2003
Table 7(a): Fires and casualties by motive of fire and by brigade area, Scotland (England, Wales & Northern Ireland), 2003
Table 8: Fires, casualties and rescues from fires in dwellings, Scotland, 1994-2003
Table 8(a): Fires, casualties and rescues from fires in dwellings, by brigade area, Scotland (England, Wales & Northern Ireland), 2003
Table 9: Fires and casualties from fire in dwellings, by presence and operation of smoke detectors, Scotland, 1994-2003
Table 9(a): Fires and casualties from fires in dwellings by presence and operation of smoke detectors, by brigade area, Scotland (England, Wales & Northern Ireland), 2003
Table 10: Fires in dwellings and other buildings by cause, Scotland, 1994-2003
Table 10(a): Fires in dwellings and other buildings by cause, by brigade area, Scotland (England, Wales & Northern Ireland), 2003
Table 11: Casualties from accidental fires in dwellings by source of ignition and cause, 2003
Table 12: Fires in dwellings and other buildings by spread of fires, Scotland, 1994-2003
Table 13: False fire alarms, Scotland, 1994-2003
Table 13(a): False fire alarms attended by Scottish fire brigades, 2003
Table 14: Primary fires by location and time of call, Scotland, 2003
Table 14(a): Casualties in dwelling fires by time of call, 2003

Next »