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Publishing Incident Recording System data on the fire and rescue service at an Incident Level:

Frequency of release: Annual

First publication: 27 April 2017

Latest update: 25 July 2024

Forthcoming releases: Home Office statistics release calendar

Home Office responsible statistician: Helene Clark

Press enquiries: pressoffice@homeoffice.gov.uk

Telephone: 0300 123 3535

Public enquiries: firestatistics@homeoffice.gov.uk

1. Background

Data quality

Incident records in the Incident Recording System (IRS) are the responsibility of and quality assured by fire and rescue services (FRSs). The Home Office and FRSs work together to improve the data within the IRS and minimise any inconsistencies or errors. However, as the IRS was not designed with record level datasets in mind, a very small number of previously unidentified inconsistencies have been discovered, see project overview for further detail.

IRS incident records are a judgement call of the lead fire officer at the time of the incident. The quality of the information provided by fire and rescue services is variable and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed, especially at a record level, for instance some records involve estimation by those in attendance.

Dataset rationale

When asked, FRSs said that domestic appliance fires was one of the most common topics covered by Freedom of Information requests they received. We reflected this by publishing this dataset in 鈥楾ranche One鈥� and updating it towards the start of the annual round of updates since. The Home Office has, and will continue to, engage with stakeholders, such as statistical users and FRSs, to gauge opinion on the most useful datasets to publish.

Dataset definition

The domestic appliance fires dataset covers incidents attended by FRSs that were primary dwelling fires in England where the source of ignition was a domestic appliance. The Home Office only has jurisdiction for fire policy in England and has therefore published incident data for England only.

A domestic appliance is defined as one of the following 鈥淐ooker incl. oven鈥�, 鈥淩ing/hot plate (separate appliance)鈥�, 鈥淢icrowave oven鈥�, 鈥淕rill/Toaster鈥�, 鈥淏arbecue鈥�, 鈥淐amping stove鈥�, 鈥淥ther cooking appliance鈥�, 鈥淭V鈥�, 鈥淎udio equipment鈥�, 鈥淧C equipment (domestic use)鈥�, 鈥淰ideo/DVD鈥�, 鈥淲ashing machine鈥�, 鈥淭umble dryer鈥�, 鈥淰acuum cleaner鈥�, 鈥淚ron鈥�, 鈥淓xtractor fan鈥�, 鈥淒ishwasher鈥�, 鈥淓lectric blanket鈥�, 鈥淗air dryer鈥�, 鈥淓lectric kettle鈥�, 鈥淏low lamp/Paint remover鈥�, 鈥淕ardening equipment鈥�, 鈥淥ther domestic style appliance鈥�, 鈥淔ridge/Freezer鈥�, 鈥淥ther electrical visual equipment鈥�, 鈥淏attery charger鈥�, 鈥淪pin dryer鈥�, 鈥淲asher/Dryer combined鈥� or 鈥淒eep fat fryer鈥�.

A dwelling is defined as 鈥渁 property that is a place of residence, that is, occupied by households鈥�. The definition includes residential homes, sheltered accommodation, caravans, houseboats and houses of multiple occupancy (HMO) but it does not include hostels, hotels and residential institutions, bed and breakfast establishments, nursing/care homes and student halls of residence. Fires in common areas of flats (such as stairs) are included.

Fires in derelict dwellings are only included if they are considered a primary fire (that is, the fire involved a fatality, casualty or rescue or the fire was attended by 5 or more pumping appliances). Derelict dwellings are defined as those unfit for further use; awaiting demolition or under demolition.

The data in this dataset is consistent with records that reached the IRS by 15 May 2024.

2. Variable by variable - scene setting

The fire and rescue service (FRS) refers to the territory in which the incident took place, not necessarily the FRS which responded. Occasionally an FRS will respond to an incident 鈥渙ver the border鈥�, because of this users should be careful about making general comments about particular FRSs as some incidents may have been responded to by other FRSs. This dataset only covers incidents that took place in England.

Due to data protection issues we have merged Isles of Scilly data with Cornwall, as the number of domestic appliance fires in Isle of Scilly is minimal [there were 7 between the financial year 2010 to 2011 and 2023 to 2024]. Figures for Dorset and Wiltshire, who merged into one FRS on 1st April 2016, are presented as merged throughout the whole time span.

The standard National Statistics code (E Code) of the fire and rescue service (FRS) in FRS_NAME. In this case the code for Cornwall has been used for the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly combined FRS.

A financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March. Record level information is published from 2010 to 2011 - although the IRS began in April 2009 there are a few minor issues with the 2009 to 2010 records which mean that while statistics at higher levels are robust some of the incident level records are not of a sufficient quality to publish. Incidents are allocated to financial year depending on the time of the call, which is usually collected through automatic systems, so for example an incident where the call was made at 23.59 on March 31 2010 but the incident was closed at 01.34 on April 1 2010 would be allocated to 2009 to 2010 not 2010 to 2011.

3. Variable by variable - situation

The domestic appliance fires dataset only covers primary fires, this excludes derelict dwellings unless five or more pumping appliances attended the incident or it resulted in a fatality, casualty or rescue. The definitions used for this variable are those used in the and are consistent with FIRE0205.

There are 8 possible answers to this variable (鈥淏ungalow - single occupancy鈥�, 鈥淐onverted Flat/Maisonette - single occupancy鈥�, 鈥淒welling - Multiple occupancy鈥�, 鈥淗ouse - single occupancy鈥�, 鈥淥ther dwelling鈥�, 鈥淧urpose Built High Rise (10 or more) Flat鈥�, 鈥淧urpose Built Medium Rise (4 to 9) Flat鈥� and 鈥淧urpose Built Low Rise (1 to 3) Flats/Maisonette鈥�.

This variable contains options that best describe the appliance, installation or other source of ignition. The domestic appliances included in this variable are 鈥淐ooker incl. oven鈥�, 鈥淩ing/hot plate (separate appliance)鈥�, 鈥淢icrowave oven鈥�, 鈥淕rill/Toaster鈥�, 鈥淏arbecue鈥�, 鈥淐amping stove鈥�, 鈥淥ther cooking appliance鈥�, 鈥淭V鈥�, 鈥淎udio equipment鈥�, 鈥淧C equipment (domestic use)鈥�, 鈥淰ideo/DVD鈥�, 鈥淲ashing machine鈥�, 鈥淭umble dryer鈥�, 鈥淰acuum cleaner鈥�, 鈥淚ron鈥�, 鈥淓xtractor fan鈥�, 鈥淒ishwasher鈥�, 鈥淓lectric blanket鈥�, 鈥淗air dryer鈥�, 鈥淓lectric kettle鈥�, 鈥淏low lamp/Paint remover鈥�, 鈥淕ardening equipment鈥�, 鈥淥ther domestic style appliance鈥�, 鈥淔ridge/Freezer鈥�, 鈥淥ther electrical visual equipment鈥�, 鈥淏attery charger鈥�, 鈥淪pin dryer鈥�, 鈥淲asher/Dryer combined鈥� and 鈥淒eep fat fryer鈥�.

This variable is a 3 letter code for the make and/or model of the faulty appliance or equipment that was the source of ignition for the fire. The question from the IRS that this variable is based on is only asked when the cause of fire was recorded as a piece of faulty appliance or equipment or a faulty lead to that appliance or equipment. It is a free text box, so this has been converted into a usable format for this exercise. The question is not mandatory and in some cases the make/model would not be identifiable by FRSs. The quality and extent of the make/model information provided by FRSs is variable and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Recorded incidents do not include judgments on whether the cause of the incident related to the make/model (either its manufacture or maintenance), other circumstances or a combination of those factors. This information should not, therefore, be used in isolation to make judgments about the safety of particular makes/models.

This variable is the full name for the make and/or model of the faulty appliance or equipment that was the source of ignition for the fire. The question from the IRS that this variable is based on is only asked when the cause of fire was recorded as a piece of faulty appliance or equipment or a faulty lead to that appliance or equipment. It is a free text box, so this has been converted into a usable format for this exercise. The question is not mandatory and in some cases the make/model would not be identifiable by FRSs. The quality and extent of the make/model information provided by FRSs is variable and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Recorded incidents do not include judgments on whether the cause of the incident related to the make/model (either its manufacture or maintenance), other circumstances or a combination of those factors. This information should not, therefore, be used in isolation to make judgments about the safety of particular makes/models.

4. Variable by variable - the fire

A deliberate fire is a fire believed to have been started deliberately such as suspected arson and some fires started by children, psychiatric patients, suicides and attempted suicides. Accidental fires include those where the motive was recorded as 鈥渘ot known鈥�. Whilst we would not expect the fires for 鈥渄eliberate fires鈥� to match precisely the in the tables from the Crime in England and Wales statistical release, we would expect 鈥渄eliberate fires for dwellings, other dwellings and vehicles鈥� to be similar to the arson figures.

This variable contains options that best describe the main cause of the fire. FRSs are not necessarily certain that the fire was due to the cause given, only that the cause was one that could be reasonably supposed, given the evidence available. The cause may change as more evidence through a fire investigation becomes available.

This variable contains options that best describe the main source of the ignition鈥檚 power. It is not necessary to be certain that the fire was due to the power given, only that the power was one that could be reasonably supposed, given the evidence available. The cause may change as more evidence through a fire investigation becomes available.

5. Variable by variable - resourcing

The total number of FRS vehicles that attended the incident. This includes all types of vehicle, for example hazardous materials units, fire boats and canteen vans would be included in this total. Large numbers are grouped for ease of use and to reduce the personal data risk of incidents being matched across datasets. For example there is likely to be few incidents attended by 47 vehicles and this could be matched to other datasets containing this variable but grouping these in the 鈥�15 or more鈥� grouping makes this impossible.

Because some of the options in the vehicles variable contains letters (for example, 15 or more) this code has been added after feedback from users to aid analysis. 99 is used for 鈥渄on鈥檛 know鈥�.

The number of FRS personnel that attended the incident on fire service appliances or by other means (for example, their own vehicle, on foot). Large numbers of personnel are grouped for ease of use and to reduce the personal data risk of incidents being matched across datasets. For example, there are likely to be few incidents attended by 147 officers and this could be matched to other datasets containing this variable but grouping these in the 鈥�40 or more鈥� grouping makes this impossible.

Because some of the options in the personnel variable contains letters (for example, 40 or more) this code has been added after feedback from users to aid analysis. 99 is used for 鈥渄on鈥檛 know鈥�.

6. Variable by variable - outcomes

This records whether the incident involved at least one fire-related fatality or one casualty from the fire.

To be consistent with published statistics the variable combines 鈥渇ire-related fatality鈥� and 鈥渃asualty in the fire鈥� (whether fire-related or not). Where 鈥渄on鈥檛 know鈥� is recorded for whether a fatality is fire-related it is included in the fire-related totals. In general, 鈥榝ire-related fatalities鈥� are those that would not have occurred had there not been a fire. Casualties include those with injuries requiring hospital attention, those requiring first aid at the scene and those given advice to have precautionary checks (whether they then take that advice or not).

The total horizontal area damaged by the flame and/or heat (in square metres) at the stop of the fire.

Where an incident was due to fire spread, the extent of all the area affected is included. Where both the floor and ceiling are damaged in a room only that which had the greater amount of damage is included. The total aggregate of all horizontal damage is recorded, for example, if three floors are damaged, the total area is given. Vertical surfaces (for example, walls) that were damaged in the fire are not included, but the horizontal area occupied by damaged contents is included.

Where the horizontal area damaged was zero, this includes where damage was confined to vertical surfaces. A very small area would be included in 鈥榰p to 5 metres squared鈥�.

Because all of the options in the time at scene variable contains letters (for example, Up to 5) this code has been added after feedback from users to aid analysis.