Fire-related deaths have surged across Hampshire with more people dying last year

The Fire Brigades Union branded a 27 per cent increase in fire fatalities across England as ‘terrifying’ and urged the government to stem cuts to firefighting services.

Home Office statistics show eight people died as a result of fires attended by the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service last year – up from four the year prior but down from nine in 2019.

Fire fatalities in Hampshire peaked in 2010, when 12 lives were lost.

Nationally, there were 280 fire fatalities in 2021 – the highest number since 2017, when the Grenfell Tower disaster occurred, claiming 72 lives.

There were 98 deaths between October and December, the most recorded for the period since 2008.

The Home Office cautioned that numbers can fluctuate between quarters, but added that it will monitor the situation for any ongoing trends.

A spokesman said annual deaths remained down on historic figures, having fallen by 12 per cent compared to 2011.

The FBU called the rising number of deaths an ‘utter tragedy’ but said that it is not surprising, given government cuts to firefighting services over the last decade.

Branding Westminster responsible, Matt Wrack, general secretary of the FBU, said: ‘The government has cut around 11,000 firefighters since 2010 and response times have lengthened.

‘This should serve as a real wake-up call – as if they needed yet another.’

The increase in deaths in Hampshire comes despite a fall in fire callouts, with crews attending some 3,903 last year, down from 4,308 in 2020.

There were 110 fire-related casualties – of those, 72 required hospital treatment.

The Home Office said it has delivered a successful ‘Fire Kills’ campaign and is working with the National Fire Chiefs Council to keep people safe and bring forward further fire safety reform.

It has provided the NFCC with a £1.1m grant to deliver fire prevention awareness programmes.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘We are committed to fire prevention awareness to save lives.

‘Every life lost to fire is a tragedy and, while they are down 12 per cent when compared with 10 years ago, we know there is more to do.’