Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

A preliminary analysis of reports shows that, during 1969, local authority fire brigades attended 222 304 fires in England and Wales, 25 759 in Scotland and 5 162 in Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom provisional total of 253 225 fires is the highest ever. The Northern Ireland total was undoubtedly increased substantially as a result of civil disturbances. The number of incidents attended by each brigade is given in Table 1. Nine firemen were killed at the scenes of fires, five in one incident. In England and Wales 410 members of the fire services were injured at fires; the corresponding figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland were 31 and 11 respectively. Fire brigades assisted in the rescue of 836 persons from hazardous situations at fires in England and Wales, 226 in Scotland and 58 in Northern Ireland. A further 1 386 persons were rescued by other persons in England and Wales; the corresponding figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland were 154 and 86, respectively. Six hundred and eighty-two people in England and Wales escaped by emergency means from fire; there were 55 such escapes in Scotland and 24 in Northern Ireland. Further details of casualties, rescues and escapes are given in Tables 2, 3 and 4. There were ten incidents in which mass evacuation of premises was thought to be advisable. Seven of these fires were in England and Wales (two hotels three hospitals, a bus and a school), two in Scotland (an hotel and a school) and one in Northern Ireland (a children's hostel). These incidents have not been classified as rescue or escape incidents and are not included in Table 4. As well as these evacuations there were three incidents in hotels (two in England and Wales one in Northern Ireland) where large numbers had to be rescued; these are included in Table 4. The analysis is based on reports received up to 6th March, 1970 and the figures are subject to revision, when outstanding reports are received.