Several fire-related deaths in West Sussex last year

Firefighters at the scene of the gas explosion in Runcorn, Cheshire, which left four people badly burned.

Several lives were lost to fires in West Sussex in 2021, new figures show.

The Fire Brigade Union branded a 27% increase in fire fatalities across England as "terrifying" and urged the Government to stem cuts to firefighting services.

Home Office statistics show five people died as a result of fires attended by the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service last year – in line with 2020 but up from two in 2019.

Fire fatalities in West Sussex peaked in 2015, when 15 lives were lost.

Nationally, there were 280 fire fatalities in 2021 – the highest number since 2017, when the Grenfell Tower disaster occurred, subsequently claiming 72 lives.

There were 98 deaths between October and December, the most recorded for the period since 2008.

The Home Office cautioned that numbers can fluctuate between quarters, but added that it will monitor the situation for any ongoing trends.

A spokesperson said annual deaths remained down on historic figures, having fallen by 12% compared to 2011.

The FBU called the rising number of deaths an "utter tragedy" but said that it is not surprising, given Government cuts to firefighting services over the last decade.

Branding Westminster responsible, Matt Wrack, general secretary of the FBU, said: "The Government has cut around 11,000 firefighters since 2010 and response times have lengthened.

"This should serve as a real wake-up call – as if they needed yet another."

In West Sussex, crews attended 1,560 fire callouts in 2021, down from 1,893 the year before.

There were 47 fire-related casualties – of those, 20 required hospital treatment.

Nationally, the number of non-fatal casualties fell by 6%, from 6,585 to 6,201, and less than 0.5% of all fires led to at least one fatality.

The Home Office said it has delivered a successful "Fire Kills" campaign and is working with the National Fire Chiefs Council to keep people safe and bring forward further fire safety reform.

It has provided the NFCC with a £1.1 million grant to deliver fire prevention awareness programmes.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We are committed to fire prevention awareness to save lives.

"Every life lost to fire is a tragedy and, while they are down 12% when compared with 10 years ago, we know there is more to do."