HC Deb 19 December 2002 vol 396 cc950-1W
Lynne Jones

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many(a) deaths and (b) serious injuries as a result of fire there were in each of the last five years; and what proportion occurred (i) between 11pm and 6 am and (ii) during the hours of darkness. [88484]

Mr. Raynsford

The number of deaths and/or injuries by the time of the fire is tabled below. Data are shown for 1997 to 2001 (the last five years of data available).

Data relating to the severity of injury resulting from fire are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information is collected on the type of injury but not the severity of those injuries.

Deaths and injuries from fires by time of day1, 1997–2001
Proportion occurring between 11 pm and 6am Rate per 1,000 fires between 11 pm and 6am Proportion occurring between 6am and 11pm Rate per 1,000 fires between 6am and 11 pm
Deaths Injuries Deaths(%) Injuries(%) Deaths Injuries Deaths(%) Injuries(%) Deaths Injuries
1997 723 18,583 35 31 5 124 65 69 3 83
1998 656 18,198 33 30 5 117 67 70 3 83
1999 623 18,198 29 30 3 103 71 70 3 77
2000 623 17,640 34 31 4 100 66 69 2 74
20002 (595)
2001 627 17,288 32 30 3 89 68 70 3 71
20012 (606)
1 The time of day is denoted as the time the emergency call was received by the local authority fire brigade.
2 The 2000 and 2001 data for fatalities are estimated to account for the revisions as later information is received. Calculations are based on the provisional total of deaths.