Elderly bachelors get warning on fatal fires

As the number of deaths from fires reached a 16-year-high of 60 last year, it has emerged that elderly bachelors are most vulnerable to fire fatalities.

The number of deaths overall rose by 23 per cent compared to 2000 and the National Safety Council has appealed to householders to be more vigilant about fire safety and to install smoke alarms or test them if already fitted.Some 90 per cent of all the fatalities (54) were in the home.

Those aged over 65 are the most vulnerable and 11 of the 15 victims in that category were men. "Single old men living on their own and especially in rural areas are most vulnerable," according to Mr Michael Fitzsimons, chairman of the Chief Fire Officers' Association and a member of the council's fire safety committee. "They are not as careful as women but one of the problems is that they don't want to listen to the fire prevention message."

He added that the "greatest killer of all is the chip pan. If I could, I'd give every home a temperature-controlled deep fat fryer and throw out the chip pans." Mr Pat Costello, the council's chief executive, said the kitchen, bedroom and living room remained the areas where fires broke out most frequently. A study by the council has shown that while 70 per cent of homes have smoke detectors, more than 50 per cent did not have them on every level or floor of their home, and 25 per cent of alarms were never tested once fitted.

Ms Caroline Spillane, of the council, said because most fires occurred at night, smoke inhalation rather than flames was the biggest danger.

Some 40 per cent of fire deaths took place in January, February and March and because of increased use of heating, light and cooking appliances, the council is "fearful that unless people take the threat of house fires seriously then more people will die".

An Eircom PhoneWatch fire study shows that Galway has the highest proportion of fires at 15 per cent, with Dublin next at 11 per cent. It also shows that 48 per cent of fires are caused by chimney fires with a further 5 per cent caused by open fires.