Reference:
Request detail:
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Please could you provide me with the number of fires in which hoarding has been a factor from 2017 to the most recent year available? Please break the information down into separate years?
If there have been any serious case reviews following a fire, please could you also provide this information? If hoarding was a factor, please mention this if the information is available.
In addition, could you tell me what kind of information (e.g. mapping) you hold regarding properties / locations that a fire risk owing to hoarding and if you are able to quantify this then please provide that data; e.g. numbers of properties within your area known to be occupied by someone with hoarding tendencies.
Response detail:
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request. Please see our response below.
- Please could you provide me with the number of fires in which hoarding has been a factor from 2017 to the most recent year available? Please break the information down into separate years? – Please refer to the attached spreadsheet. Please note that our Incident Recording System (IRS) does not record hoarding as a category so we have searched for keywords ‘hoard’ and ‘clutter’ in the log text field. The information is provided where this information has been recorded.
- If there have been any serious case reviews following a fire, please could you also provide this information? If hoarding was a factor, please mention this if the information is available.
Serious case reviews are carried out by the Local Authorities Adult and Children Safeguarding Board. Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) sit on these and form part of the safeguarding board within the Local Authority although these are not fire specific.
Where we have a serious or fatal fire related incident SFRS would complete a review to try and establish if they were known to us or other agencies. Local Authority serious case reviews are recorded by them. SFRS do not hold any figures. SFRS does however carry out its own investigations and over the last 5 years there have been some cases where hoarding has been present at clutter ratings 2 and 3 but not at clutter rating 5.
- In addition, could you tell me what kind of information (e.g. mapping) you hold regarding properties / locations that a fire risk owing to hoarding and if you are able to quantify this then please provide that data; e.g. numbers of properties within your area known to be occupied by someone with hoarding tendencies.
From 2016 to current SFRS has a total of 140 cases of hoarding recorded. These recorded cases are ones that are classed as a level 5 and above based on the national clutter rating. Please refer to the two clutter rating images attached that we use to determine the level of hoarding.
If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been handled, you can complain or request an internal review of the decision. This must be done within 40 working days of receiving this response. You can do this by writing to the Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, St. Michael’s Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 2HJ or email: enquiries@shropshirefire.gov.uk.
If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.gov.uk
