People are needlessly putting their lives at risk by not having working smoke detectors.
Firefighters are discovering that one in four alarms are not working in homes – often because batteries have been removed.
And many others don’t have a smoke detector at all.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has attended 4,107 dwelling fires between 2011 and 2013 - and in just over a fifth each year there was no smoke alarm in the property.
The figures are released before Home Safety Awareness Week which starts on Monday and is is being supported by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS).
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dave Walton said: “There are simple steps people can take to prevent fires in the home and a smoke alarm is a crucial life-saving tool.
“If you have concerns about fire safety in your home firefighters can carry out a free home fire safety check where they will advise you on the type of smoke detection needed or provide a smoke alarm where appropriate.”
The force said in almost a quarter had a smoke alarm but it was not working properly, often due to lack of maintenance or removal of batteries for things such as children’s toys.
Overall WYFRS has seen a decline in dwelling fires over the last three years – however 83% are still down to accidental cause.
Almost half of all accidental dwelling fires WYFRS has attended in the last three years involved cooking 305 of which involved chip pans.
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