Why are house fires in England rising after years of falling incidents?
We ask what's driving a 4%+ increase in house fires, which bring devastation and tragedy to our communities
Last updated 4 hours ago
The number of accidental house fires in homes across England has risen 4.4% in the last year.
The latest data shows there were more than 26,000 dwelling fires in the year to September 2025.
That's one fire every 20 minutes, but comes amid a decade that has seen overall numbers drop 17% - so what's causing this new increase?
House fires up after years of falling
Accidental fires account for the vast majority of the cases, and we've been speaking to Fire and Rescue teams across the country to find out why the numbers are on the up.
And there's a common response.
Electrical items - particularly those that are powered by lithium Ion batteries, and that are sourced from unregulated suppliers, bought without the appropriate checks, damaged, or charged using the wrong sort of charging supply.
We've been speaking with Richard Field from the National Fire Chief's Council - who's been a working firefighter for 25 years.
'Significant rise' in house fires.
He told us: "We've seen devastating house fires due to the failure of e-bikes, e-scooters and that's contributed to a significant rise.
"Most certainly the introduction of lithium ion battery products in the home, counterfeit products, products that haven't got UK safety standards.
"It all contributes to a rise in fires within the home, without a shadow of a doubt."
We've been covering these devastating fires on Absolute Radio and have seen first hand the impact they have.
Richard Field, who also acts as Deputy Assistant Commissioner for London Fire Brigade, says everyone needs to have a plan to escape their home if there is a fire - and not create risks, such as charging e-scooters in an escape route:
He said: "What would happen if there was a fire in your home?
"Could you exit the premises, with all your loved ones, close the door on the fire and call 999?
"Think about it in the cold light of day rather than thinking about it at the time it happens."
In 2023, Scott Peden told us how his entire family was killed when an e-bike exploded at his property in Cambridge while on charge:
As part of our investigation, we were invited to the Electrical Safety First Headquarters, where we got hands on with the types of substandard electrical items posing a risk in our homes.
Through testing - carried out in front of us - we saw plugs fail routine checks, travel adapters that could expose you to dangerous voltage levels and watched just how deadly batteries can be, when they’re not charged with the correct products.
These items all came from online marketplaces and the ones we looked at specifically, all posed a danger including the risk of causing a fire.
“Online marketplaces are a wild west.”
Guiseppe Capanna is the Product Safety Engineer at the charity, which aims to reduce deaths and injuries caused by electricity in UK homes. He said to us:
“We see so many different unsafe products across the whole range of items you’d bring into your home like small kitchen appliances, travel adapters, chargers, and those are particularly dangerous because so many more goods now have batteries in them. Any battery powered product is designed to be charged using a specific charger; your protection is from using the intended charger. If you don’t, your product becomes a risk, you’re put at risk and your home is at risk.”
He further explained to us how some of the products they’ve bought online to test, could explode or burst into flames from its first use. He says these items should not be on the market:
“So many people are bringing these dangerous products into their homes.
“The problem is, at the moment, online platforms are not legally responsible for the safety of the products sold on their sites, and that’s something that needs to change. People shouldn’t have to worry about where they’re buying their products from, all the products available to them should be safe.
“A consultation looking at this is underway, but it’s really important any legislation is robust enough. The Government have a once in a generational opportunity to make sure products available online are safe, and it’s so important that they get this right.”
Experts suggest the best way to be confident the products you use are safe is to buy from a retailer that you trust, either direct from the manufacturer’s website or a trusted High Street name – the products they sell will meet the correct safety standards and if something does go wrong, you can return the product for repair or a refund.
For advice on how to spot a substandard or potentially dangerous electrical item, go to the Electrical Safety First website.
Take steps to stop fires in your home
Government data shows that in England alone, there have been 1,804 deaths and 44,806 injuries from accidental dwelling fires over the last decade.
You can assess the fire risk in your home using the NFCC's official toolkit here
NFCC Chair, Phil Garrigan, said: “Fire and rescue services are doing more than ever to keep people safe in their homes. We see every day how a simple conversation or home visit can make the difference between life and death.
“Too many of the tragedies we respond to could be prevented. When organisations share information and work together to identify risks and vulnerability factors, fire and rescue services can stop the fires before they happen and spare families the devastation they cause.
“The risks people face at home are changing, and prevention must keep pace – focusing on those most at risk, with the investment needed built into the core funding of the fire and rescue service.”
Fire safety advice to members of the public
NFCC is also reminding people of the simple precautions they can take to stay safe at home this winter.
- Working smoke alarms remain the most effective way to protect against fire, and escape routes should always be kept clear.
- People are also encouraged to take extra care with electrical items by avoiding overloaded sockets, unplugging lights and chargers overnight, and choosing products that meet UK safety standards.
- Candles, heaters and decorations should also be kept well away from flammable materials such as curtains or furnishings. For tailored advice, people can complete NFCC’s free Online Home Fire Safety Check to help reduce the risk of fire in their homes.
You can complete the Safety Check here
Get clued up on charger safety using resources from the National Fire Chief's Council