Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

A preliminary analysis of reports shows that, during 1968, local authority fire brigades attended 186 571 fires in England and Wales, 22 979 in Scotland and 3 685 in Northern Ireland. The number of incidents attended by each brigade is given in Table 1. Four firemen were killed at the scene of fires. In England and Wales 327 members of the fire service were injured at fires; the corresponding figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland were 26 and 14 respectively. Fire brigades assisted in the rescue of 789 persons from hazardous situations at fires in England and Wales, 160 in Scotland and 12 in Northern Ireland. A further 1 469 persons were rescued by other persons in England and Wales; the corresponding figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland were 205 and 94 respectively. Six hundred and five people in England and Wales escaped by emergency means from fires; there were 41 such escapes in Scotland and 33 in Northern Ireland. Further details of casualties, rescues and escapes are given in Tables 2, 3, and 4. Thare were 11 incidents in which mass evacuation of premises or a mass rescue was either necessary or advisable. These incidents involved two hospitals, two hotels, a school evening class, three buses, a railway train, a football ground and a departmental store. All the incidents except the departmental store, which was in Northern Ireland, were in England and Wales. There was an attendance of 34 000 at the football ground and the ground was evacuated; in the remaining incidents, the number of persons at risk was not generally known. The analysis is based on reports received up to 7th March, 1969 and the figures are subject to revision when outstanding reports are received.