NEW data reveals a significant decline in fire incidents at non-domestic buildings in Shropshire over the last five years.

Data from the Home Office shows that between 2019 and 2023, fire and rescue services attended 582 incidents, a 15 per cent decrease from the previous five years.

The decline underscores the effectiveness of the work that Shropshire Fire and Rescue does with local organisations to raise awareness about fire safety practices. Coupled with the introduction of new regulations – such as the October 2023 update to the Home Office’s fire safety reform programme, which mandates comprehensive fire risk assessments for all businesses – this demonstrates the impact of proactive measures.

Adam Tier of specialist insurance company Ansvar commented on the data: “The decrease in fire incidents across Shropshire is extremely positive news and highlights the impact that greater awareness and regulation reforms can have, particularly for protecting smaller businesses and organisations in the non-profit sectors, where operational continuity is paramount."