Electrical Fire Safety Week begins on 2 February, with Electrical Safety First raising awareness about a critical safety message: the beeping sound from a low-battery smoke alarm could save lives.
Fire Statistics Show Concerning Trends
Fire and Rescue services attended more than 142,000 fires across England in 2024/25, marking a 2.5% increase from the previous year. Fire-related deaths have also risen, now 12% higher than five years ago.
According to government statistics, smoke alarms were absent in over a third of fire-related fatalities in the past year. A survey found that 43% of Britons admit to not checking their smoke alarms with the recommended frequency. Data shows that people living in homes without a working smoke alarm are 11 times more likely to die in a house fire than those with one that works properly.
Survey Reveals Gaps in Smoke Alarm Coverage
The survey revealed that 4.4 million Brits (5%) admit to not having a smoke alarm present in their home. Analysis into accidental electrical dwelling fires over the past two years showed that smoke alarms were absent in over 4,400 incidents (19%), with 10% resulting in fatalities or casualties.
The survey found that nearly a third of people (31%) assume their smoke alarm is working without ever checking, while 25% wait until it starts beeping before taking action. One in ten believes a fire isn't likely to happen to them, so they don't check.
Norfolk Named UK's Fire Safety Blackspot
Analysis of accidental electrical dwelling fires from 2023 to the present found that Norfolk poses the greatest fire-safety risk per capita, with smoke alarms absent in 188 homes where fires have broken out in the past two years. Avon ranked second, followed by Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Hertfordshire, and Nottinghamshire.
Often, coastal, affluent or low-crime areas like Norfolk and Avon have a generally lower perceived risk regarding safety. However, these beliefs can create a dangerous false sense of security, causing many to overlook installing smoke alarms, as well as maintaining and testing them.
Cities with Best and Worst Fire Safety Habits
Southampton tops the list for best fire safety habits, where 35% of the population test their smoke alarms monthly, followed by Norwich (33%), Nottingham (28%), Newcastle (27%), and Leeds (26%).
Sheffield has the most residents admitting to never testing their smoke alarms at 14%, followed by Liverpool (11%), London (9%), Bristol (8%), and Cardiff (8%).
Main Causes of Electrical Fires
Misuse of equipment or appliances accounted for 66% of domestic fires in England in the past two years. This is followed by faulty appliances and leads (23%), placing articles too close to heat (9%), and faulty fuel supplies (2%).
Analysis of domestic appliance fires in the past two years revealed that cookers and ovens account for 45% of fire incidents, followed by grills and toasters (13%), hot plates (10%), and microwave ovens (8%).
Vulnerable Groups at Higher Risk
Children: Children under five are at the greatest risk, accounting for 50% of fire deaths among those aged 16 and under. This is because younger children are less capable of recognising danger, escaping on their own, or reacting quickly to smoke alarms. Only 22% of Brits admit to having grown up with clear plans in place in case of a fire.
People who live alone: Analysis revealed that in the past two years, over a third (36%) of dwelling fires happened to people in single-occupancy homes. Almost one in six (14%) of fires in single-occupancy homes end in fatalities. 14% of fires in single-occupancy homes occurred in properties with no smoke alarm present at all. Despite the disproportionate risk, 40% of people living on their own admit to not testing their smoke alarms regularly, with 22% claiming that it simply isn't a priority.
Older adults living alone: Nearly a fifth of dwelling fires occurred in lone occupancy homes of people over pensionable age, with one in eight saying they never check their smoke alarm. Mobility issues, slower reaction times, hearing loss, or health conditions place older adults living alone in a particularly vulnerable position.
Two Fire Safety Habits to Incorporate:
Practice fire drills at home: Making sure everyone knows how to get out, where to meet, and what not to do (such as hiding or going back for belongings) can make a real difference. Practising, especially with young children, helps build confidence, reduces panic, and lowers the risk of injury or death if a fire does break out.
Create a nightly close-down routine: This could include turning off and unplugging unused appliances, checking that heaters and candles are off, closing internal doors, and making sure smoke alarms are working.
Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, advises on making this routine stick through habit stacking. "Link your fire safety close-down to something you already do. For example, when you lock the front door, check the hob is off, or while the kettle boils, unplug unused appliances. By pairing fire safety with daily rituals, you don't have to remember; the routine does it for you."
Test Your Smoke Alarms Today
The campaign emphasises that everything comes down to the moment the fire is first detected. Test every smoke alarm in your home today, check the batteries, and replace anything that's not working.
About Electrical Fire Safety Week 2026
Electrical Fire Safety Week is run by Electrical Safety First, a registered charity in England and Wales and Scotland.
You can learn more about Fire Safety Week here: Electrical Fire Safety Week 2026 | Electrical Safety First