Electrical / Appliance Fires Across West Yorkshire
A data-led report based on fire incident records, 2020–2024
Source: West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service · Scope: accidental fires involving electrical appliances or electrical sources of ignition
This report analyses incident data supplied by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service following a Freedom of Information request covering the calendar years 2020 to 2024 inclusive.
The dataset contains 3,756 accidental fire incidents in which an electrical appliance or electrical source of ignition was recorded. The analysis examines overall trends, common ignition sources, property types, incidents involving victims, and seasonal patterns in heating-related fires.
Key Facts & Figures From the 2020-24 data range
At A Glance
3,756
Total electrical / appliance fires
(2020–2024)
73.9%
Share of incidents
recorded in dwellings
60.1%
Share of incidents involving cooking appliances
64.6%
Share of heating-related incidents recorded between October and March
Overview
Electrical appliance fires remained a persistent issue across West Yorkshire throughout the five-year period analysed. Annual recorded totals were 621 incidents in 2020, 625 in 2021, 654 in 2022, 935 in 2023 and 921 in 2024.
At first glance, the later years appear to show a sharp increase. However, the 2023 and 2024 data also includes separate categories for wiring, cabling, plugs and batteries, generators that do not appear in the same form in the earlier years. This means caution is required when making direct year-on-year comparisons across the full period.
When those later-added categories are excluded to create a more like-for-like comparison, the adjusted totals are 621 in 2020, 625 in 2021, 654 in 2022, 645 in 2023 and 624 in 2024. On that basis, the longer-term pattern appears broadly stable rather than showing a clear sustained rise.
Electrical / appliance fires by year
| Year | Recorded incidents | Like-for-like adjusted incidents |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 621 | 621 |
| 2021 | 625 | 625 |
| 2022 | 654 | 654 |
| 2023 | 935 | 645 |
| 2024 | 921 | 624 |
Sources of Ignition
Cooking appliances were by far the most common source of ignition in the West Yorkshire data. Across the five-year period, cooking-related categories accounted for 2,256 incidents, equivalent to 60.1% of the full dataset.
The single most frequently recorded ignition source was Cooking appliance – Cooker incl. oven, with 1,368 incidents. Other common categories included wiring, cabling and plugs, ring or hot plate appliances, grills and toasters, heating equipment, tumble dryers and battery or generator apparatus.
This indicates that the main fire risk is concentrated around ordinary appliances in regular day-to-day use, particularly in kitchens, rather than unusual or specialist equipment.
Most common ignition sources (2020–2024)
| Source of ignition | Incidents |
|---|---|
| Cooking appliance – Cooker incl. oven | 1,368 |
| Electricity supply – Wiring, cabling, plugs | 422 |
| Cooking appliance – Ring/hot plate (separate appliance) | 229 |
| Cooking appliance – Grill/Toaster | 203 |
| Heating equipment – Heating/Fire | 166 |
| Electricity supply – Apparatus – batteries, generators | 165 |
| Other domestic style appliance – Tumble dryer | 154 |
| Cooking appliance – Deep fat fryer | 125 |
| Cooking appliance – Other cooking appliance | 124 |
| Cooking appliance – Microwave oven | 120 |
Property Types Affected
The majority of electrical / appliance fires in the dataset occurred in residential settings. Dwellings accounted for 2,775 incidents, equal to 73.9% of the total. Commercial and non-residential premises accounted for 545 incidents, with smaller numbers recorded in vehicles, HMOs and other residential settings.
The most common individual property type was House – single occupancy, with 1,757 incidents recorded across the five-year period. In this context, “single occupancy” refers to a single household occupying the property, rather than the number of individuals living there.
This category represents standard domestic houses and forms the largest single property classification within the dataset.
While the dataset identifies where incidents occur by property type, it does not include the total number of properties in each category across West Yorkshire. As a result, it is not possible within this analysis to determine relative risk by property type or whether any category is over- or under-represented.
Property groups
| Property group | Incidents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Dwelling | 2,775 | 73.9% |
| Commercial / non-residential | 545 | 14.5% |
| Vehicle | 222 | 5.9% |
| Other residential | 84 | 2.2% |
| HMO | 66 | 1.8% |
| Other / unknown | 64 | 1.7% |
Incidents Involving Victims
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service advised that its reporting system could not provide a separate total for the number of injuries or fatalities arising from these incidents. However, the dataset does record whether victims were involved in each incident.
Across the full five-year period, 681 incidents involved victims, representing 18.1% of the total dataset. The proportion was highest in 2020 and 2021 and then fell in later years.
Incidents involving victims by year
| Year | Incidents with victims | Victim involvement rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 151 | 24.3% |
| 2021 | 142 | 22.7% |
| 2022 | 114 | 17.4% |
| 2023 | 133 | 14.2% |
| 2024 | 140 | 15.2% |
Heating-Related Fires by Month
Heating-related incidents show a clear seasonal pattern in the West Yorkshire data. Across the five-year period, there were 294 heating equipment incidents in total.
Of these, 190 incidents occurred between October and March, compared with 104 incidents between April and September. That means 64.6% of heating-related incidents were recorded in the colder half of the year.
The monthly pattern is consistent with a winter-driven risk profile, with the strongest months being December, January and February. This supports the view that heating-related electrical fire risk rises materially during colder weather.
Heating-related incidents by month (2020–2024 combined)
| Month | Incidents |
|---|---|
| January | 39 |
| February | 36 |
| March | 27 |
| April | 26 |
| May | 13 |
| June | 16 |
| July | 16 |
| August | 15 |
| September | 18 |
| October | 20 |
| November | 28 |
| December | 40 |
Emerging Categories and Reporting Caveats
Two source categories appear separately in the 2023 and 2024 data but do not appear in the same way in the earlier years: Electricity supply – Wiring, cabling, plugs and Electricity supply – Apparatus – batteries, generators.
This means the later years are not directly comparable with the earlier part of the series on a strict like-for-like basis. It may reflect a combination of recording changes and genuine underlying fire risk.
The appearance of a separate batteries and generators category is particularly notable. While this dataset does not identify lithium-ion battery incidents specifically, the category aligns with the wider increase in attention being given to battery-related fire risks in homes and buildings.
Closing Summary
The West Yorkshire data shows that electrical / appliance fires remained a persistent issue throughout the 2020–2024 period. The strongest recurring pattern was the dominance of cooking appliances, which accounted for around three fifths of all incidents recorded.
Most incidents occurred in residential properties, particularly dwellings, with single-occupancy houses standing out as the most common individual property type. Heating-related incidents showed a clear winter pattern, with significantly higher totals between October and March.
Although the 2023 and 2024 data includes some later-added ignition categories that affect direct comparison with earlier years, the broader picture remains clear: electrical and appliance-related fires continue to present a regular and significant risk across West Yorkshire.
Methodology & Notes
Definitions used
This analysis is based on accidental fire incident data supplied by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service following a Freedom of Information request. Incidents were included where an electrical appliance or electrical source of ignition was recorded in the source of ignition field.
Time period
Data covers the calendar years 2020 to 2024 inclusive.
Scope
The spreadsheet supplied by the fire service contains accidental fires involving electrical appliances or electrical ignition sources. No personal or identifying information has been used.
Victims involved
The fire service advised that its system could not provide a separate extract for the number of injuries or fatalities arising from these incidents. This report therefore uses the recorded “Victims involved” field as an indicator of incidents involving harm.
Comparability caveat
Some ignition source categories appear separately in 2023 and 2024 but not in the same form in earlier years. Where relevant, like-for-like adjusted totals have been shown to avoid overstating any apparent increase.
Data source
Data analysis prepared for publication.
Source:
West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service incident records
Prepared by Charlie McCluskey, GetTesting.
First published: 27 March 2026.
Electrical / appliance fires by year
| Year | Electrical / appliance fires | % of all fires |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,494 | 15.7% |
| 2021 | 1,510 | 17.5% |
| 2022 | 1,427 | 13.5% |
| 2023 | 1,330 | 15.6% |
| 2024 | 1,334 | 15.8% |
| Total | 7,095 | 15.5%* |
*mean average
Electrical / appliance fire incidents by year
Electrical / appliance fires by district (2020–2024)
| District | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 689 | 703 | 628 | 587 | 605 | 3,212 |
| Coventry | 168 | 170 | 161 | 146 | 153 | 798 |
| Sandwell | 164 | 165 | 154 | 147 | 152 | 782 |
| Dudley | 158 | 161 | 150 | 136 | 136 | 741 |
| Wolverhampton | 150 | 148 | 136 | 124 | 128 | 686 |
| Walsall | 115 | 113 | 109 | 102 | 99 | 538 |
| Solihull | 50 | 50 | 47 | 48 | 43 | 338 |
Property Types Affected
Sources of Ignition
Top Categories
Most common ignition sources
Year-by-Year + Total
Totals only (compact)
| Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking appliances | 756 | 783 | 728 | 666 | 684 | 3,617 |
| Electricity supply | 350 | 364 | 349 | 329 | 347 | 1,739 |
| Other domestic-style appliances | 173 | 186 | 172 | 163 | 169 | 863 |
| Heating equipment | 89 | 88 | 83 | 80 | 78 | 418 |
| Industrial equipment | 52 | 49 | 51 | 46 | 51 | 249 |
| Item | Total |
|---|---|
| Cooker – ring / hot plate | 1,727 |
| Wiring, cabling, plugs | 1,470 |
| Cooker – oven | 717 |
| Cooker – grill | 341 |
| Heater / fire | 283 |
| Tumble dryer | 249 |
| Microwave oven | 234 |
| Apparatus – batteries, generators | 227 |
Why do plugs, wiring and cabling feature so often?
Fire incident data frequently records “wiring, cabling or plugs” as the ignition source. This does not usually indicate a single catastrophic failure, but rather a range of common electrical fault mechanisms.
1. Undersized or inappropriate cable
Cables that are too small for the current they carry can overheat under normal operation. This may occur due to:
Incorrect cable selection
Long extension leads causing voltage drop and heat build-up
Equipment drawing higher current than expected
Over time, insulation can degrade and ignite.
2. Poor connections and terminations
Loose or poorly made connections increase electrical resistance, which in turn increases heat. Common examples include:
Loose plug pins
Poorly terminated extension leads
Worn socket contacts
Heat generated at connection points can be sufficient to ignite surrounding materials without tripping protective devices.
3. Equipment plugged in that should be hard-wired
Some equipment is designed for fixed installation but is instead connected via plugs or adapters. This can result in:
Continuous high load on plug tops
Stress on flexible cords
Increased risk of overheating at the plug or socket
4. Faulty, incorrect or counterfeit fuses
Incorrect fuse ratings or counterfeit components can fail to disconnect a circuit under fault conditions. In some cases:
Fuses are replaced with higher-rated units
Non-compliant or poor-quality fuses are used
Fuse carriers are damaged or bypassed
This allows dangerous currents to persist.
5. Defective or poor-quality appliances
Low-quality or poorly manufactured appliances may suffer from:
Inadequate internal clearances
Substandard insulation
Poor strain relief on cables
These issues are more likely to result in internal faults or overheating during normal use.
6. Overloaded extension leads and adapters
Trailing sockets and extension leads are frequently overloaded, particularly where:
Multiple high-load appliances are connected
Leads are coiled or covered, restricting heat dissipation
Temporary solutions become permanent installations
This is a recurring feature in both domestic and workplace fires.
7. Mechanical damage and wear
Repeated flexing, crushing, or pulling of cables can damage conductors and insulation. This damage is often hidden and may only become apparent once overheating or arcing occurs.
Injuries and fatalities
| Year | Injuries | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 391 | 7 |
| 2021 | 405 | 6 |
| 2022 | 344 | 5 |
| 2023 | 296 | 4 |
| 2024 | 284 | 4 |
| Total | 1,720 | 26 |
Recorded injuries from electrical / appliance fires (2020–2024)
Methodology & notes
Definitions used
This analysis is based on fire incident records where the revised incident type is classified as a fire. Electrical or appliance-related fires are defined as incidents where an electrical appliance or electrical source of ignition was recorded as a contributing factor, based on the source of ignition group and associated incident fields.
Exclusions
False alarms, special service calls, and road vehicle incidents have been excluded from this analysis. Fires primarily associated with road vehicles were removed to ensure the focus remains on premises-based electrical and appliance fire risk.
Time period
Data covers the calendar years 2020 to 2024 inclusive. Where year-on-year comparisons are shown, figures reflect recorded incidents within each reporting year.
Lithium-ion battery caveat
A specific field identifying fires involving lithium-ion batteries was introduced partway through 2024. As a result, lithium-ion related figures are not directly comparable with earlier years and are treated separately as an emerging risk indicator rather than a long-term trend.
Injuries and fatalities
Injury and fatality figures reflect recorded outcomes associated with the incidents analysed. Fatalities are presented in tabular form only due to low annual volumes, which limits the value of graphical trend analysis.
Data source
All figures are derived from incident records published by West Midlands Fire Service. Data has been aggregated and presented for analytical and informational purposes only. No personal or identifying information has been used.
Data source
Data analysis prepared for publication.
Source:
West Midlands Fire Service incident records
.
Prepared by Charlie McCluskey, GetTesting.
First published: 16 January 2026.
