Last year four people died from accidental fires across Merseyside, one of the lowest figures since 2007.
This is down from a high of 16 in 2015. In the last 15 years, there have been 108 deaths as a result of fires across Merseyside with 31 of these taking place in Wirral.
Data from the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service shows that when looking at deprivation on a local level, more than 400 injuries from fires in 2019 happened in the 20% poorest areas with incidents in the most deprived areas being higher than anywhere else.
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A map has been published showing a link between a higher fire risk and deprived areas as the fire service looks to reduce the number of fatalities.
Published in a Wirral Council report, the map shows areas of high deprivation in darker colours. In Figure 1, blue dots indicate fires from 2006 to 2021 across Merseyside. In Figure 2, different colour shapes indicate where deaths occurred from fire.
As the map shows, places like Birkenhead, Speke, and St Helens and areas in north Liverpool are places where more fires have occurred over this period.
The fire service is bringing in its new Home Safety Plan which will run until 2024 with home safety checks targeting homes with people over 65.
Every year the service aims to carry 60,000 safety checks *in houses with 9,000 in Wirral. It will check properties in the 20% poorest areas, people known to adult social care, and those with extreme mobility issues as a priority.
Through this work, they are expecting to see “a reduction in fatalities and serious injuries”, fewer fires, people having smoke alarms installed, and better collaboration between different organisations in the area to better understand risk.
The new policy will also address issues in specialised housing and dealing with vulnerable residents. There were three fatal fires in specialised housing in April 2020.
It will be reviewed annually and will be monitored to ensure it is continuing to make progress.
Councillors will be discussing the issue along with an update on the cost of living, early years provision for young children and smoking at a Health and Well-being Board meeting on December 21.
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