Fires claimed 16 lives in West Yorkshire in last year

By The Newsroom
Published 14th Nov 2018, 07:17 BST
Updated 14th Nov 2018, 08:19 BST
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Fires claimed 16 lives and led to more than more than 360 casualties in West Yorkshire over the last year, new figures show.

The Fire Brigades Union said that an increase in fire deaths across the country showed that services are in “crisis”.

New Home Office figures show that 11 people died at home, two outdoors and three in vehicles, in incidents attended by the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service between July 2017 and June 2018.

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Across England, there were 247 fatalities recorded over the 12 months.

Embargoed to 0001 Tuesday March 27 Undated file photo of a firefighters tackling a blaze. Arsonists could face tougher punishments if their crimes result in damage to listed buildings or a major emergency response under new sentencing plans.Embargoed to 0001 Tuesday March 27 Undated file photo of a firefighters tackling a blaze. Arsonists could face tougher punishments if their crimes result in damage to listed buildings or a major emergency response under new sentencing plans.
Embargoed to 0001 Tuesday March 27 Undated file photo of a firefighters tackling a blaze. Arsonists could face tougher punishments if their crimes result in damage to listed buildings or a major emergency response under new sentencing plans.

The FBU said that years of cuts meant a downward trend in fire deaths had stalled in recent years, with one in five firefighter jobs lost since 2010.

Dave Green, the union’s national official, said: “The government continues to bury its head in the sand with regard to its responsibility for the Fire and Rescue Service. They have stripped it of central funding and then pushed the blame to local authorities.

“The reality is the service is in crisis. Firefighters don’t have time to give routine fire safety advice, to do safety inspections on premises and are having to cope with attending emergencies with fewer and fewer resources.