Accidental fires show a decrease Performance report shows a 9% fall
A large emergency services operation responded to the close floor collapse in March A top fire service official has welcomed figures which have recorded a fall in accidental fires in Perth and Kinross.
Between January and the end of March there were 31 incidents of this type - a drop of 9% when compared with the same period of 2016. It was also part of a continuing downward trend over the past five years.
Colin Grieve, area manager for Perth and Kinross, reported these performance figures to the council’s housing and communities committee on Wednesday last week.
Mr Grieve said colleagues had described the report as “bland” which he took as a compliment because it means the report overall was positive.
The council committee was also told of the service’s priorities and of plans to ensure continued progress in accidental fires.
He said: “There were 31 incidents of accidental dwelling fires, and 17 of these had smoke detectors.
“Breaking down these numbers there are two of significances - 13 of these were from cooking, and we will
Colin Grieve need to focus on education for this. Going forward, only one [accidental fire] has been attributed to drugs and alcohol, and a few years ago drugs and alcohol were the thing that caused these accidental fires.”
There have also been no deaths caused by fire in the same period and only one incident where medical help was needed, when two people were treated on the scene for smoke inhalation.
He also added there has been a reduction in the number of car accidents they had been called out to, and for accidental fires in nonresidential properties.
In the past quarter firefighters responsed to a number of serious incidents, including the fire at Fishers Hotel in Pitlochry in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
The report praised efforts to reopen the hotel only days after the fire: “Around 50 firefighters tackled a ‘well alight’ fire in the roof space at Fishers Hotel. This provided an extremely challenging incident for everyone involved due to the fact the hotel was at full capacity, being Hogmanay together with the sub-zero temperatures outside.
“As is it is such an important landmark and place to reside for people when visiting the local community this was a great success for all.”
Fires at Montague House in Balbeggie and in a flat in St Catherine’s Square in Perth, were also highlighted, as well as the partial collapse of a building in Perth’s Atholl Street.
It also highlighted the need to reduce fire alarms going off when there is not a fire, however Mr Grieve added: “I would rather attend a false alarm at a house than not get that call and attend the fire later.”