Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

An examination has been made of statistical data on fires in post-war dwellings for the period 1946-52. The data have been obtained from reports of the fires attended by Fire Brigades in Great Britain. Information is given on the numbers of occupied dwellings damaged by fire, and on the rates of incidence of fire in temporary and permanent non-traditional dwellings. Statistical methods have been used to examine the differences between the annual rates of incidence of fires in particular types of houses, to examine the differences between the rates of incidence in different types of houses for particular years, and to test the validity of the hypothesis that series of rates have followed recognisable trends. From the data on temporary houses it has been found that the rate of incidence of fires in Aluminium houses increased steadily up to 1951 and then decreased in 1952, and that the rate of incidence in Arcon houses, after remaining approximately constant during the period 1946-51, increased sharply in 1952. In both cases "electric wire and cable" was a frequent cause, and between 60 and 70 per cent of these fires involved fuse-box panels or distribution boards. The incidence of fires attributed to "fire in grate" was also higher in Aluminium and Arcon houses than in other temporary dwellings. A large proportion of the fires in this category were due to the ignition of furniture or airing linen by radiated heat, sparks or embers. The highest rates of incidence of serious fires (i.e. fires involving more than half of the building) in temporary dwellings were in Phoenix and U.S.A. houses. Among the fires in permanent non-traditional dwellings those caused by "fire in grate" were fairly numerous, and, as in temporary houses, generally resulted from ignition of furniture, airing linen etc. by sparks, embers or radiation. Fires caused by flues were an important group and the rates of incidence were highest in B.I.S.F. and Unity houses. About 50 per cent of the fires in post-war temporary and permanent nontraditional dwellings were attributable to carelessness or ignorance of fire dangers.