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Fires claim more than 2,000 London homes every year

October 31, 2011 by Martin Hoscik

London firefighters will on strike in a dispute over shift patterns
More than 2,000 homes are lost to fire every year. Image: LFEPA
London loses more than 2,000 homes a year due to fires, according to new figures released by London Fire Brigade.

The Brigade has developed a new system of ranking house fires as severe, significant, moderate or slight.

A fire is classed as severe it if renders a property uninhabitable for any period of time.

Over the past year 2,257 fires, a third of all house fires, were severe.

Officials estimate providing temporary accommodation and repairing damaged properties costs London £120 million each year.  


Cllr Susan Hall, Chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority’s Community Safety Committee, said: “At a time when London is facing a major shortage in housing, it is shocking to know that so many homes are being lost to fire each year. Sadly, most of these fires are entirely preventable.

“Many people think that a fire will never happen to them but these figures show that it’s not worth taking the risk. Fires can, and do, cost people their entire homes and everything in them.

“If you love your home, get a working smoke alarm, never leave cooking unattended and switch off all electrical appliances when you’re not using them.”

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