Death by Fire
Professor Bob Peckitt
The Centre for Forensic Studies
Cheswold Park Hospital
Death in Fires
• Study of Wright and
smith July 2006
Greenstreet Berman
• “Human behaviour in
fatal fires”
Investigation of Fatal Fires
• 535 fatal fire
investigations from
2002-2006
• 47% of all fires
involved substance
misuse
• 33% Alcohol
• 12 prescribed drugs
Alcohol and Fatal Fires
• Alcohol associated
with fatalities at nights
and weekends
• Less substance
misuse in elderly
• Most in 50-59 year
group
Characteristic of Victims
• Mental impairment in
15 %
• Depression most
common
• Physical impairment
in 29% of all fires
• 22% wheelchair users
• 77% impaired in
some way
Causes of Fires
• 49% caused by
careless smokers
• Chip pan 11%
• Cooking 7%
• Naked flame 6%
Conclusion
• Accident
• Misadventure
• Recklessness
• Criminal damage
• Arson
• Manslaughter
• Murder
Negligent or Reckless Fire Setting
• 75% inappropriate
attitudes and
behaviour
• 40 % caused by
careless or risky use
of materials which
caught fire
Alcohol and Cigarettes
• 44% due to
combination of both
excessive
consumption of
alcohol and smoking
whilst drowsy.
Wakefulness
• 51% asleep
• 17% unconscious for
some reason
• 75% single person
household
• 40% men
• 28% women
Reaction From Victim
• 71%
asleep/unconscious/
• suicidal/immobile
• 64% fatal fires,
victims impaired by
alcohol prescribed
drugs or mobility
What Burned First?
• Furniture 29%
• Bedding22%
• Clothing 19%
Detectors
• 30% had no detectors
• Lack of risk
awareness
• Tennant status
• Alarms were a
nuisance
• 23% had detector
• 14% fatal fires, not
working
What We Don’t Know
• Ethnicity
• Deprivation
• Overcrowding
Known to Services
• 31% had been in
contact with a service
• 12% had been in
contact with fire
brigade before
• 3% had had a fire
before
Building Design
• In the same room
• If died and fire not in
same room then
• Internal doors left
open
• Smoke up the stairs
• Lack of alarms
Overall Majority of Cases
• Single person impaired
by substance, age or
depression.
• Carelessly ignites textiles
often by cigarette or
similar flame.
• Fails to react immediately
because of impairment
and lack of smoke alarm.
• Fires discovered by
neighbour passer by
because person lives
alone.