No fire-related deaths in Tyne and Wear last year

No lives were lost to fires in Tyne and Wear in 2021, new figures show, bucking the national trend.

The Fire Brigade Union branded a 27% increase in fire fatalities across England as "terrifying" and urged the Government to stem cuts to firefighting services.

Home Office statistics show zero people died as a result of fires attended by the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service last year – down from six the year prior and four in 2019.

Fire fatalities in Tyne and Wear peaked in three different years between 2010 and 2021, when six lives were lost.

Nationally, there were 280 fire fatalities in 2021 – the highest number since 2017, when the Grenfell Tower disaster occurred, subsequently claiming 72 lives.

There were 98 deaths between October and December, the most recorded for the period since 2008.

The Home Office cautioned that numbers can fluctuate between quarters, but added that it will monitor the situation for any ongoing trends.

A spokesperson said annual deaths remained down on historic figures, having fallen by 12% compared to 2011.

The FBU called the rising number of deaths an "utter tragedy" but said that it is not surprising, given Government cuts to firefighting services over the last decade.

Branding Westminster responsible, Matt Wrack, general secretary of the FBU, said: "The Government has cut around 11,000 firefighters since 2010 and response times have lengthened.

"This should serve as a real wake-up call – as if they needed yet another."

The decrease in deaths in Tyne and Wear comes despite a rise in fire callouts, with crews attending some 7,583 last year, up from 6,975 in 2020.

There were 172 fire-related casualties – of those, 59 required hospital treatment.

Nationally, the number of non-fatal casualties fell by 6%, from 6,585 to 6,201, and less than 0.5% of all fires led to at least one fatality.

The Home Office said it has delivered a successful "Fire Kills" campaign and is working with the National Fire Chiefs Council to keep people safe and bring forward further fire safety reform.

It has provided the NFCC with a £1.1 million grant to deliver fire prevention awareness programmes.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We are committed to fire prevention awareness to save lives.

"Every life lost to fire is a tragedy and, while they are down 12% when compared with 10 years ago, we know there is more to do."