By Niamh Burns
The Aberdeen Evening Express
ABERDEEN, U.K. — Fire chiefs today revealed the number of “life or death” blazes started deliberately has been slashed.
New figures show the number of fires started in Aberdeen in April — traditionally a peak time for wilful fire-raising — has plummeted.
The number of structural fires, relating to cars and buildings, dropped by 33% from nine to six compared to the same month last year — and the number of secondary fires, typically involving grass or wheelie bins, dropped by 26% from 46 to 34.
Station manager Mike Cordiner, of the risk reduction department at Grampian Fire and Rescue Service, said: “These figures are great news because wilful fire-raising really is a matter of life and death, especially in derelict buildings.
“Not only is it dangerous for those who start the fire, but it is dangerous for the firefighters who have to go into these decrepit buildings.
“And it diverts valuable resources away from other potentially life-threatening incidents.”
The news came after a push by the Grampian Fire and Rescue service to educate youngsters in the dangers of starting blazes.
Mike said: “Fire officers went into academies in the Aberdeen area — and we were very pleased the co-operation from the schools and the pupils.
“The response we got was very positive and it seems to have had an effect on the number of wilful fires we’ve faced.”
Mike said the work had been carried out closely with Grampian Police and Aberdeen City Council, along with a number of community-based initiatives. And he revealed one of the key schemes they work on is the securing of derelict buildings — the most dangerous place a wilful fire can be started.
Last week the force tackled fires at the former Mile End primary school and a disused cottage at the former Dobbies Garden Centre on Hazledene Road in Aberdeen.
Mike said: “We do work very closely with the police and the local authority to try to identify the owners of derelict buildings. They are the most dangerous places. All it takes is a dodgy floorboard and a firefighter could find themselves trapped.”
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