§ Mr. Redmondasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been burnt to death in the absence of their mother; and whether he will arrange for the display of notices in public places such as post offices, National Health offices, etc., drawing the attention of mothers to the fire dangers to children especially if an oil heater is used.
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§ Mr. SharplesThere were 189 deaths of children aged 14 or under in fires attended by fire brigades in the United Kingdom in 1969, of whom 135 were alone at the outbreak of the fire. Of the 135 deaths, 27 occurred in fires associated with oil-heaters. The danger of leaving children unattended and the need for care in the use of oil-heaters are matters included in the fire prevention publicity which is regularly undertaken by central and local government, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the Fire Protection Association and other organisations. The publicity used includes posters. The content and display of the material are kept constantly under review.