MORE lives were lost to fires in Hereford and Worcester in 2021, new figures show.
The Fire Brigades Union branded a 27 per cent increase in fire fatalities across England as "terrifying" and urged the Government to stem cuts to firefighting services.
Home Office statistics show three people died as a result of fires attended by the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service last year – up from two the year prior but in line with 2019.
Fire fatalities in Hereford and Worcester peaked in 2017, when nine lives were lost.
Nationally, there were 280 fire fatalities in 2021 – the highest number since 2017, when the Grenfell Tower disaster occurred, 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.
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