Latest fire statistics reveal that one smoke alarm may not be enough to provide you with the best chance of escaping a fire in the home, say Cornwall firefighters.

Despite the majority of homes (88%) having at least one working smoke alarm, smoke alarms alerted householders to a fire in England in only a third of cases. The most common reason a smoke alarm failed to activate was because the fire was outside its range. 

For this reason, the Fire Kills campaign and Cornwall Fire, Rescue and Community Safety Service are encouraging people in Cornwall to have a think about the number of alarms in their home.

’We must all make sure that we have enough smoke alarms to cover our whole home,’ said Watch Manager Katie Hoskins-Sweeney. ’If you don’t have enough, or they’re not in the right place, you might not be alerted in time.’

For more information, visit Fire Kills on Facebook or call 0800 3581 999 for free fire safety advice. You can book a free fire safety visit online through cornwall.gov.uk