Arson warning as schools break for summer
![rubble left from building fire](https://www.fenews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/CCIA_1.jpg)
Schools #AndColleges are being urged to take precautions over the summer break to lower the risk of fire and arson, as data reveals more school fires occur in August than at any other time of year.
Leading school insurer, Zurich Municipal (@ZurichMunicipal) has released claims data that shows between 2015 and 2020, the number of school fires in August was 44% higher compared to the average across this period. (1)
With many school buildings empty over August, fires can potentially take longer to discover, resulting in more extensive damage. Over the same period (Jan 2015-Dec 2020), the average cost of a fire in August was £8.1m, five times higher than the average of £1.5m. (2)
Arson is a key risk in the lead up to the autumn term. Analysis of Home Office data from all 44 fire authorities in England (3) shows around one in five school blazes are started deliberately, with one in six being large fires resulting in significant damage. (4)
Tilden Watson, Zurich Municipal’s Head of Education, said:
“Burnt out classrooms can cause major disruption to children’s education, with repairs often leading to months or even years of upheaval. As we head towards the summer break, it’s essential schools take adequate measures to combat potential losses as a result of fire and arson. This will minimise the risk of disruption to the start of the new term.”
- Between April 2015 and April 2020, firefighters were called to blazes at 1,467 primary schools and 834 secondary schools
- This destroyed the equivalent of 1,100 classrooms (5). 47 primary and secondary school buildings were completely gutted, and 230 others seriously damaged.
- Zurich estimates the average repair bill for large fires alone is £2.9m, with some fires costing up to £20m.
Zurich Municipal is also renewing its call for sprinklers to be made mandatory in all new or majorly refurbished schools. This follows recent government proposals to only make sprinklers mandatory in Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools, and all schools over 11m in height. Proposals the insurer believes don’t go far enough
Tilden Watson continues:
“Sprinklers are proven to contain the spread of blazes and limit the damage they inflict. However, we believe the government’s latest proposals still leave the vast majority of pupils and schools exposed to blazes. We need to bring England in line with Wales and Scotland, where sprinklers are already compulsory in all new and majorly refurbished schools.”
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