House fire in north Belfast

FIRE chiefs have revealed that 13 people died in house fires in Northern Ireland last year.

That’s compared to ten in 2011 – a jump of 30 per cent.

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service commander Kevin O’Neill: “One death due to fire is one too many and we want to reach a stage where we have no fatalities.

“We remain unwavering in our commitment to that.”

He said a number of simple safety steps could drastically reduce the risk of fire in homes.

These included checking smoke alarms were working properly and to have an escape plan in the event of a fire happening.

“We offer a free home fire safety check, whereby local firefighters will visit your home to carry out a fire safety check,” Mr O’Neill said.

“Firefighters will check for appliances that could cause fire, help with any actions to avoid fire and most importantly ensure that your smoke alarm is working.

“If necessary we will fit a free smoke alarm for you.”