Firemen urge caution ahead of bonfire night (From Sutton Guardian)

Figures show a fall in bonfires but Sutton residents told not to get complacent

5:00am Wednesday 31st October 2012 in News By James Pepper

Fires in Sutton over Halloween have fallen by 50 per cent in five years.

New figures released by London Fire Brigade show last year's November 5 was the quietest on record for the capital's fire fighters with 154 fires attended or a fire in London every 10 minutes.

In 2006, fire crews attended around one fire every three minutes on bonfire night.

In Sutton there was one fire on Bonfire night last year compared to seven fires on the same day five years ago.

Despite the downward trend, fire chiefs are urging people not to be complacent and use common sense over the bonfire night weekend.

Aaron Watson, the Brigade's Borough Commander for Sutton said: "We've seen a dramatic drop in fires over Halloween, Bonfire Night and Diwali in [the Borough] but it is still shocking that across London we were called to one fire every 10 minutes on bonfire night last year."

"Many of the Bonfire Night fires we see can be easily prevented so we want people to use some common sense in a bid to reduce the number of fires.

Residents are being urged to attend organised displays, or if having one at home, never leave bonfires unattended and make sure they're fully out before leaving them. Also to light bonfires well away from sheds, fences, bushes and trees.