The annual incidence of fires caused by oil burning appliances of all
types, other than blowlamps, has increased from 1 340 (2.2 fires per 1 000
tons kerosine sold in the home market) in 1947 to 3412 (4.1 fires per 1 000
tons kerosine sold) in 1956.
In 1956 Fire Brigades in the United Kingdom attended 2 810 fires caused
by oil burning appliances other than blowlamps and apparatus used in industrial
processes. Of these 1 202 occurred in dwellings, 718 in premises used for
agricultural purposes and the rearing of livestock and 301 in garages or parked
vehicles.
In dwellings most of the fires were due to portable heating appliances.
In 18.5 per cent of them the appliances were dropped or overturned (generally
overturned) and in 21 per cent the apparatus "overheated" or "flared up".
The fires in agricultural premises were mainly caused by chicken brooder
lamps and 60 per cent of them were ascribed to "overheating", "flaring-up",
leakage or flooding.
In about 59 per cent of the fires in vehicles and garages, which were
mainly due to heater lamps, the appliances had come into contact with
combustible materials (frequently petrol vapour).
There were 36 fatal casualties in the fires reported, 32 of them being
in dwellings.
