£128,000 average cost for school fires in 2023
As part of this year’s Sprinkler Week, BAFSA teamed up with Zurich Insurance in a campaign to highlight the increased risk of fire in schools during the summer term. Paul Redington, one of Zurich’s major loss claims managers, explains why this is the case.
Article taken from original which featured in Bafsa Spring Focus 2024, available to read in full here.
Over the last few months there have been numerous news stories about fires in schools, both accidental and deliberate. Fires in education centres is a large and ongoing issue and has been for some time. In fact, schools in England are almost twice as likely to suffer from a fire than other types of non-residential buildings.
However, some may argue that education premises could be more at risk of a fire than ever before when considering the increase in electronic equipment in schools, and the growing trend among young people to vape. For instance, a recent Action on Smoking and Health survey (ASH) shows that around 15% of children aged 11 to 15 years old and more than a third of 16- to 17-year-olds have vaped.
Disposable vapes can pose a serious fire risk as they contain lithium-ion batteries that can ignite if damaged, or if they are not disposed of correctly.
While schools ban vaping in or around school premises, young people may still carry them. A recent freedom of information request to Fire and Rescue services and local councils shows that there were around 300 fires in primary and secondary schools last year.
While this may seem like a small number, one fire is one too many when you consider how many people – both teachers and young people – could be put in harm’s way. Fires can also be financially crippling for schools or local authorities that have smaller and smaller budgets.
Zurich data shows that school fires caused on average more than £128,000 worth of damage last year. In fact, in the three years to 2023, the insurer saw 115 blazes in schools, causing in total more than £27m in damage.
Shocking statistics
Despite these shocking statistics, many schools lack even the most basic equipment needed to prevent small fires from becoming large blazes.
As of 2020, two thirds of schools inspected by Zurich were rated as having ‘poor’ fixed fire protection systems, such as sprinklers, which are proven to significantly reduce the damage caused by fire. A further 25% were judged ‘poor’ for fire detection measures, such as smoke detectors and fire alarms.
To prevent blazes from occurring, Governments in Scotland and Wales have already introduced rules to mandate the installation of sprinklers in all new build and fully refurbished schools.
For several years now, Zurich UK has called on the Government to bring English schools into line with the rest of Britain, but so far, we have yet to see any movement. Bigger and older schools, including those with a canteen, and secondary schools – which have more complex and dangerous equipment – are particularly at risk of fire, according to our data.
Correlation between Ofsted rating and risk of fire
We have also identified a correlation between poor Ofsted ratings and greater risk of fire, meaning children in areas where there are higher levels of social deprivation could be at greater risk. Not only do a lack of sprinklers in schools put lives in danger, it can also lead to months or even years of upheaval, putting pressure on a generation of children who have already seen their education disrupted by Covid, and potentially resulting in the loss of spaces relied on by local communities.
A report published in medical journal JAMA Network Open found that school disruption caused by Covid led to an increased risk of depression, behavioural, social, and emotional difficulties among children, as well as a deterioration in overall mental health. It is essential that measures are put in place to stop blazes from leading to similar disruption.
“As of 2020, two thirds of schools inspected by Zurich were rated as having ‘poor’ fixed fire protection systems, such as sprinklers, which are proven to significantly reduce the damage caused by fire. A further 25% were judged ‘poor’ for fire detection measures, such as smoke detectors and fire alarms.”
Increased risks
As Summer approaches it’s now a busy time for schools as they plan for improvements to be made to the school while they’re closed.
While some schools will just give their buildings a lick of paint, others will be planning major works to make sure their premises are ready for the new intake of children in September. However, major improvements to schools can increase the risk of fire.
For instance, Zurich Municipal saw one school suffer around £20m worth of damage after a roofing contractor accidentally started a fire when carrying out some hot works (e.g. grinding, welding and torching). This resulted in the school being closed for longer than just the summer holidays and a lot of upheaval for more than 450 students.
It’s not just contractors on school premises that can cause a fire during the summer break. Schools are particularly vulnerable to arson during this period. We advise our customers to do a couple of things ahead of the summer holidays, such as making sure staff are extra vigilant in turning off all appliances and making sure all buildings are locked up. We also recommend schools regularly monitor for signs of malicious damage or trespass.
If there are contractors carrying out work, we also recommend this is overseen to ensure they follow both safety and security procedures. Many fires in schools could be reduced if there was a legal requirement to fit sprinklers across all schools in the UK. Sprinklers drastically reduce the extent of damage when there is a blaze, often confining the fire to a single room.
According to the National Fire Chiefs Council, sprinklers control or extinguish blazes in 99% of cases. This gets children back into schools and classrooms more quickly, as well as saving taxpayers’ money.
