Almost 70% of house fire victims lived alone as NIFRS issues safety warning
Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) is urging people to take extra precautions after it revealed almost 70% of people who have died in house fires in the last 10 years lived alone.
Saturday 17 October 2026
Almost seven in ten people who died in house fires across Northern Ireland over an 11-year period were living alone, according to figures released by the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS).
The figures reveal that 89 people lost their lives in house fires between 2015 and 2025, with 62 of those victims living alone – highlighting the risks faced by people who may have nobody nearby to raise the alarm or help them escape.
The warning comes as Fire Safety Week 2026 begins, with NIFRS urging households to identify everyday fire hazards and look out for relatives, friends and neighbours who may need additional support.
House fire deaths rose sharply in 2025
Figures released by NIFRS show that 16 people died in house fires during 2025, four times the number recorded in 2024, when there were four fatalities.
There were nine fatalities in both 2023 and 2022.
So far in 2026, three people have lost their lives in house fires across Northern Ireland.
Smoking materials were associated with two of those deaths, while an electrical source was associated with the third.
Looking at the longer-term figures between 2015 and 2025, smoking materials were associated with 38 fatalities, wiring, cabling and plugs with 15, and heaters and open fires with nine.
Bedrooms pose particular danger
Although most accidental house fires begin in kitchens, NIFRS says bedrooms are where the greatest number of fatalities have occurred.
The service is highlighting this distinction as part of its Fire Safety Week campaign, which carries the message ‘Know the Room, Know the Risk, Know the Person’.
The campaign encourages people to recognise hazards in different rooms while considering whether someone they know could be particularly vulnerable because they live alone, have a disability or experience impaired mobility.
NIFRS Assistant Chief Fire & Rescue Officer Marcus Wright said:
“Fire Safety Week is an important reminder that fire safety is a responsibility we all share, not only in our own homes, but in looking out for those around us.
“We’re asking everyone to take a look around their home and think about the risks that may be present in the rooms they spend the most time. Most accidental fires in the home start in the kitchen, while our figures show that the bedroom is where the greatest number of fatalities have occurred.
“We also want people to think about who may be at greater risk from fire. A significant proportion of those who have lost their lives in house fires lived alone. Whether that’s you, a family member, friend or neighbour, recognising that someone may need additional support could help keep them safe.”
Free home fire safety checks available
NIFRS is encouraging everyone to complete its free online Home Fire Safety Check, which helps identify potential dangers within the home.
Where the assessment identifies a household at greater risk, the person will be referred for an in-person visit from NIFRS personnel, who can provide further practical fire safety advice.
Mr Wright explained:
“One of the easiest ways to understand your fire risk is to complete our free online Home Fire Safety Check. This tool is available to everyone and if your home is identified as being at greater risk, you will be referred for an in-person Home Fire Safety Check where NIFRS personnel will visit your home to provide further practical fire safety advice.
“We’re urging everyone to take a few minutes this week to look around their home. Spot the fire risks in each room and think about whether you or someone you know may need extra support. Test your smoke alarms, fit additional alarms in rooms you use most frequently, such as bedrooms and living rooms, and make sure you have a suitable heat alarm in your kitchen.”
Simple steps that could save lives
As part of its campaign, NIFRS is asking households to remember its STOP Fire message:
• S – Smoke alarms: Make sure smoke alarms are fitted in the home.
• T – Test alarms weekly: Check regularly that alarms are working.
• O – Obvious dangers: Identify and address potential fire hazards around the home.
• P – Plan your escape: Know how to get out safely if a fire breaks out.
The campaign is being delivered in partnership with the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management in the Republic of Ireland.
Its Director, Keith Leonard, also emphasised the importance of protecting people who may need additional help.
He said:
"We want people to take a fresh look at the environments around them and consider the fire risks that might otherwise go unnoticed. From using electrical devices to cooking, many everyday activities can present fire hazards if not managed safely.
“Knowing the person is just as important as knowing the risk, particularly when it comes to older people, those living alone, or anyone who may need additional support to stay safe from fire. Early detection through working smoke alarms, combined with knowing the safest escape route, is critical to reducing the impact of fire.”
Check on someone who may be at risk
With nearly 70% of those who died in house fires between 2015 and 2025 having lived alone, NIFRS is encouraging people to think beyond fire safety in their own homes.
Checking that an older relative, neighbour or someone with reduced mobility has working alarms, understands potential hazards and knows how to escape could make a vital difference in an emergency.
Further fire safety advice and information about the free Home Fire Safety Check are available at www.nifrs.org.
