HC Deb 27 October 1970 vol 805 c46W
Mr. Thomas Cox

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of fatal accidents caused through oil heater fires in the home during the last five years.

Mr. Sharples

The following figures for deaths caused by oil heater fires in England and Wales (excluding cases in which clothing was ignited on contact with radiant heaters) have been provided by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys:—

1965 … … … 35
1966 … … … 38
1967 … … … 33
1968 … … … 31
1969 … … … 35

Mr. Thomas Cox

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the reported number of fires in the home caused through faulty oil heaters during the last five years.

Mr. Sharples

The available statistics for fires involving oil heaters do not classify separately those fires thought to have been caused by faulty appliances. The total number of fires in the home involving paraffin heaters in each of the past five years, in England and Wales, was as follows:—

1965 … … 2,217
1966 … … 2,153
1967 … … 2,071
1968 … … 2,484
1969 … … 2,244 (provisional)