AFTER attending nearly 400 house fires this year, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) is urging residents to ensure they have working smoke alarms.

HIWFRS has issued the warning in line with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Home Fire Safety Week from June 12 to 18.

Firefighters are concerned that as many households continue to struggle with the cost of living, people may have bought products that could increase their risk of a fire in the home or have decided to save money by cutting back on essential maintenance checks on fuel appliances such as boilers, open fires, and wood burners.

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These appliances should be tested regularly to make sure they work and carbon monoxide alarms should also be fitted in the home to provide an early warning of any problems.

The Hampshire service has attended nearly 400 house fires this year ahead of the summer months.

Its prevention manager Tracey Webb said: “A few simple checks and changes can help keep homes safer, save lives and reduce injuries.

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"There’s no denying that working smoke alarms save lives but we also want to remind people that they need to assess the needs of their individual homes when determining the level of protection they need, and in which rooms smoke alarms should be fitted.

“We advise fitting at least one smoke alarm on every floor of the home and ideally these should be fitted in the rooms that are used most often as this is where a fire is most likely to start.

"We offer additional support to fit smoke alarms for those who are most vulnerable to fire via our Safe and Well visits. Prevention work is at the heart of all fire and rescue service work, and we are here to help.”