Falkirk blaze deaths prompt firefighters’ safety appeal

The public appeal comes after a string of high profile house fires, including the tragic deaths of a woman in May and a man on July 6.

David Lockhart, Local Senior Officer for Falkirk, said: “We are keen to pass on potentially life-saving advice to everyone, but are particularly keen to meet with the more elderly and vulnerable members of our communities.

“Ultimately, these visits allow us to support people to live independently in their homes”.

He added: “Our thoughts and condolences remain firmly with the family and friends of those who tragically died - and with all of those impacted by these incidents.

“We have worked tirelessly to reduce accidental dwelling fires across Scotland, but one incident is, of course, is one too many.

“We are acutely aware of the importance of our role in helping people remain safe within their homes and are passionate about our prevention efforts.

“As an organisation we exist to help keep our communities safe and that is why I cannot stress enough the value of organising a home fire safety visit.

“They are the cornerstone of our prevention efforts.”

Police Scotland Community Inspector Ewan Wilson, from Falkirk Police Station, said: “Sadly over the past couple of months our area has seen the devastation and loss of life that fire can cause and our thoughts continue to be with those affected by these recent incidents.

“I would urge the public to contact the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for fire safety advice; this free and short process could ultimately save you your life.

“We continue to work with our partners to reduce the number of fire incidents and detect those incidents where fires have been started deliberately. Wilful fire-raising is a criminal offence and will not be tolerated in our communities.”

For more information visit www.firescotland.gov.uk/your-safety/hfsv-form.aspx