Rural elderly most at risk of fire death in Shropshire - report

Shropshire people most at risk of dying in a fire are elderly residents in rural areas, authorities say.

Councillor Eric Carter, local Fire Authority chair, said the risk increased for them if living alone.

He said the nature of rural areas meant emergency services took longer to reach them, with the situation exacerbated by smoking, hoarding and reduced mobility.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has vowed to improve engagement with the public.

The pledge, and Mr Carter's comments, came as the fire service disclosed there had been six fire-related deaths in Shropshire generally between April 2022 and January 2023.

The number of house fires had nevertheless declined, the service said.

The data was discussed at a meeting of the Fire Authority's Strategy and Resources Committee, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Five of the six deaths involved accidental domestic property fires while the other involved a crash, Guy Williams, assistant chief fire officer, told the meeting.

The fire service noted the numbers did not include a house fire at which a woman's body was found in High Ercall, Telford, as that was still under investigation.

Alcohol and drug dependency have also been cited as high-risk factors in fire fatalities in Shropshire.

Assistant chief fire officer Dan Quinn said: "We work really hard at prevention and protection. We need to be more innovative and creative to engage with our communities."

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk