Drink and drugs drive to reduce house fires

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue (SYFR) last year tackled a dozen accidental house fires in December where alcohol or drugs were thought to be a factor in the blaze.

The average number of drugs or alcohol-related fires in other months of the year is only six.

Senior officers said drinkers are now one of the groups being targeted by the service as it seeks to drive down fires this winter, traditionally one of its busiest times of the year.

With cooking making up the majority of alcohol related fires, fire safety officers are urging people to think twice before switching on the cooker after a drink.

Jon Torn, station manager in Community Safety, said: “We’re not here to stop people having a good time.

“But people must recognise that by cooking when you’ve been out drinking, you are automatically putting yourself at a much greater risk of fire.

“Seasonal drink drive campaigns have made getting behind the wheel of a car after a drink completely unacceptable and we think the same stigma should be attached to cooking in the home.

“We’ve attended far too many serious incidents where drink or drugs have made people more likely to have an accident.”

The fire service in Doncaster has also been workingn with people who care for elderly or vulnerable people, who are also at a higher risk of falling victim to house fires.

Speaking after a session held in Bessacarr, station manager Tony Carlin said: “Carers are a vitally important, and sometimes our only, link to some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

“Our aim was to educate carers about the ways in which we can help them keep a loved one safe and in turn work towards further reducing house fires and injuries.”