The appliances most likely to start a fire in East Sussex

Cookers, stand-alone hobs and microwaves are the domestic appliances most likely to start fires in East Sussex.
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New figures from the Home Office show that 289 house fires were started by a household appliance in the area between April 2017 and March this year.

| Also in the news – an investigation is underway after a fire broke out at a Burwash shop for the Sussex Food and Drink Awards 2019; and a popular, award-winning venue on the outskirts of Eastbourne has gone up for sale. |

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More than half the incidents attended by the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service were started by cookers, with 150 fires causing 13 deaths or casualties over the year.

New figures from the Home Office have revealed the domestic appliances most likely to start firesNew figures from the Home Office have revealed the domestic appliances most likely to start fires
New figures from the Home Office have revealed the domestic appliances most likely to start fires

The most common domestic appliances to cause fires in East Sussex between April 2017 and March 2018 were:

• Cookers, including ovens: 150 fires.

• Separate rings and hot plates: 40.

• Microwaves: 29.

• Grills and toasters: 23.

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.

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“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.”

Between April 2017 and March 2018, 31 fires started by domestic appliances caused deaths or injuries.

More than 35 fires were started by faulty appliances or leads in East Sussex over the financial year.

Across England, such faults started more than 2,400 fires.

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The most common reason for fires started by appliances was misuse of the equipment, which caused 154 fires in East Sussex, and more than 8,700 nationally.

But the old staple of fire safety talks, chip pans, were still the cause of 15 fires in East Sussex, and nearly 1,600 fires nationally.