The Bombers de Mallorca warn of the danger of these fires, which leave an average of almost 1.5 deaths per year.
2023 has been the year in which there have been more fires in homes in Mallorca. Last year, were 481 fires declared in Mallorcan homes, more than any year since records were kept. In 2022 there were 479, 452 in 2021, 311 in 2020 or 379 in 2019. Data that confirms a trend: every year there are more fires than the previous one.
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2023 is the year in which there have been more fires in the homes of Mallorca
For all these reasons, the Bombers de Mallorca call for prevention and caution to avoid fires in homes. Not only because of the material damage they can cause but also because they can have fatal consequences. The average number of deaths in fires in homes is almost one and a half people a year (1.46).
In 2023 one person died due to fire in homes in Mallorca. This year there has already been a new victim, in early January an elderly man with reduced mobility died in a fire in Llucmajor.
“We have to be aware that home fires are very dangerous and can have catastrophic or fatal consequences. We have to do everything in our power to prevent it,” says the island’s director of Emergencies, Joan Fornàs.
The emergency corps of the Consell de Mallorca also emphasizes that the months in which there are more house fires are in autumn and winter when the cold weather arrives. The bad use that is made of the heating systems turns them into a danger: they are the major causes of fires in the houses. A great part of the accidents happen when stoves or braziers are left on during the night without supervision. Another cause of fires is smoking in bed.
One of the recommendations made by the Servei dels Bombers de Mallorca is the installation of smoke detection systems. It is an economical, simple and very efficient measure. These devices warn as soon as they detect smoke in the room. They are very effective, especially if there is a fire while sleeping. It is a very common measure in the rest of Europe and even mandatory in the United Kingdom.
The most vulnerable age groups in the event of fire are children and the elderly. The majority of deaths due to fire in homes belong to these groups. In the case of the elderly, reduced mobility and mental illness (Alzheimer’s) make them even more vulnerable.