Isles record ‘significant increase’ in accidental fires in the home

Shetland has seen a “significant increase” in accidental fires in the home over the last year, a report has warned.

Members of the community safety and resilience board were given the news during an update from Shetland manager Matt Mason.

According to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s latest quarterly report, Shetland recorded 25 accidental “dwelling” fires in the year to the end of March.

That compares with just 12 in 2019/20.

“You’ll see a significant increase to the year-on-year totals,” Mr Mason said.

“This is a high number.”

The increase has been put down to cooking and “distractions” – particularly during the last year during lockdown, when more people were staying in, and working from, home.

However, Mr Mason said it was “reassuring” that casualties as a result of accidental fires in the home had “reduced significantly”.

That figure fell from six in 2019/20 to just two the following year.