 The fire service says people remove batteries for other appliances |
Two thirds of fires in Devon and Cornwall occur in properties without working smoke alarms. The latest figures from the Fire and Rescue Service for 2002, show eight people died in the region and nearly 200 others were injured in such fires.
Although 80% of UK homes are fitted with smoke alarms, only half the houses in the region attended by the fire brigade had one installed.
People are being urged to put alarms on every floor and check batteries weekly.
Properly fitted
The government says people are twice as likely to die in a house fire if there is no working alarm fitted.
The most recent figures available show in 2002 emergency services were called to 889 house fires in Devon.
In 586 of them there was either no alarm or it was not working.
In Cornwall there were 361 fires, of which 225 had no smoke alarm fitted or it did not work.
The fire service says many people are tempted to remove the batteries to use in other appliances.
Others may take them out because they say the alarms go off accidentally and become a nuisance.
It says that puts lives in danger and smoke alarms are should not go off unnecessarily if they are fitted in the right places.
One-Minute World News 
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