The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has said fatal fires could have been avoided if more people had working smoke alarms in their homes.

The LFB has revealed that of the seven fatal fires in London so far this year, five of the homes did not have working smoke alarms installed.

A total of ten people have died so far in fires across the capital in 2017, and in all but one of these instances the LFB was only called after a neighbour noticed the fire.

The LFB said this was a “worrying” trend over the last few years. Two years ago a smoke alarm sounded at 74 per cent of fatal fire. Last year it was sounded at 41 per cent, but so far this year a smoke alarm has only gone off at 29 per cent of fatal fires.

Over half of all fires in homes that the LFB were called to last year did not have a working smoke alarm.

London Fire Commissioner, Dany Cotton, said: "While the coroner has yet to determine cause of death we believe that many of these deaths could have been avoided if the victims had working smoke alarms.

"Often the most deadly fires are small fires that quietly smoulder and smoke while people are asleep or in a different room.

"Without the early warning of a smoke alarm, people can be over come with smoke before the fire is discovered. 

"Please fit at least one smoke alarm on every floor of your property and regularly check them. The quicker firefighters are alerted, the quicker we can help save lives and prevent fires from spreading. Get out, stay out and dial 999.

"It is devastating that in 2017 people are dying from fire in homes without life saving smoke alarms on every level of their property.

"Last year we visited over 70,000 homes of London's most vulnerable carrying out home fire safety visits but there is a lot more we all must do to educate people about the benefits of smoke alarms for everyone and sprinklers for the most vulnerable."

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "It is deeply concerning that Londoners are risking their lives by not having working smoke alarms in their homes.

"Smoke alarms provide a vital warning in case of fire and can mean the difference between life and death. I urge Londoners to take the Fire Brigade’s advice and fit alarms in your home, helping them in the fantastic work they do every day to keep us safe."

Eight out of the ten people who have died so far this year were over 65-years-old, with a number receiving some sort of care. The LFB are urging care staff, family members and neighbours of vulnerable residents to let them know if they think someone is at risk of a fire, for example because they have no smoke alarm or smoke in bed.

The LFB say there should always be at least one smoke alarm fitted on the ceiling of every floor in your home, ideally placing smoke alarms in every room where there is a fire risk and linking alarms together.