More than 40 people killed or injured in a year because of domestic appliance fires

More than 40 people have been killed or injured by fires started by domestic appliances in South Yorkshire, according to official figures.
A fire damaged houseA fire damaged house
A fire damaged house

Statistics from the Home Office show that 44 fires started by domestic appliances caused deaths or injuries in the area between April 2017 and March this year. The data also revealed that a total of 338 house fires were started by a household appliances in the time period. Of those, the majority were caused by cookers and ovens '“ with the appliance accounting for 202 fires. Grills and toasters caused 39 fires, while microwaves were responsible for 24 and separate rings and hot plates caused 23 blazes. The Fire Brigades Union warned that both manufacturers and householders have a duty to prevent fires caused by everyday appliances. A spokesman for the union said: "Manufacturers have a duty to ensure the products they sell are safe for the public to use and do not pose a threat to life. "Make sure that the electrical wiring in our homes is in good order, and ensure that we have working smoke alarms and we have a plan for what to do if they go off." "We can all play our part in reducing fire risk by registering products with the manufacturers when we buy them, so that we are notified if there is a safety-related recall.' The most common reason for fires started by appliances was misuse of the equipment, which caused 183 fires in South Yorkshire,

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