A THIRD of house fires in Kirklees homes happened where there was no smoke detector.

And in a further 10 blazes firefighters discovered that batteries had been taken out of the life-saving devices or had gone flat.

Of the 209 house fires, 69 homes did not have a smoke detector and on 10 occasions the alarm did not sound.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service wants every home in the county to have a working smoke detector.

And as part of National Fire Safety Week, which starts next Monday, fire chiefs are urging people to install smoke alarms and check them regularly.

Steve Rhodes, the service’s Kirklees district manager, said: “So far this year about 7,500 home fire safety checks have been carried out in Kirklees.

“This means more than 7,500 lives could potentially have been saved through fitting free smoke detectors when our staff and firefighters have carried out the checks.”

A fire safety roadshow and display showing the dangers of chip pan fires will be held at Dewsbury Market next Wednesday lunchtime.

To book a free home fire safety check call 0800 587 4536 or visit www.westyorksfire.gov.uk