Don't report fires on Facebook says fire chief

Dave Stanley from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said it was a "worrying" trend

People are being told to call 999 to report fires before posting images on social media.

Fire crews have reported an increase in the public sharing images of fires before they are aware of them.

Members of the public were posting on local Facebook groups asking about "alarms sounding, smoke in an area or even small fires", Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said.

A station manager at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue described it as a "worrying" trend.

'It could escalate'

Dave Andrews, station manager for fire control at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said: "The concern is that if an incident isn't reported to us it could escalate into something worse."

But Mr Andrews said he thought the behaviour was because the public did not want to put extra strain on emergency services.

"You see reports in the news about everyone being stretched, however I'd like to instil the message that we are there for you.

He added it had been "slightly worrying" to see potential incidents on Facebook before the service had been alerted.

"If you do see a fire, hear an alarm sounding, just give us a call on 999 and we will respond. We're there for you 24/7.

"They may think 'Oh it's just a bonfire we don't want to bother anyone', however we'd rather be safe than sorry."

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