Number of fires in Jersey at 50-year low in 2011

Chief Fire Officer Mark James said he was pleased with the reduction in the number of fires

The number of fires in Jersey was at a 50-year low in 2011, the Fire and Rescue Service said.

The service's annual report said firefighters went to 228 fires last year, a drop of 16% on 2010.

Jersey's Chief Fire Officer, Mark James, said he was pleased with what he described as a significant reduction in the number of fires.

But he said in the report: "Fires can be devastating so these results cannot be taken for granted."

The service aims to get its first fire engine to potentially serious fires within 10 minutes and a second engine to the scene within 13 minutes.

The report said it achieved that 91% of the time in 2011.

The annual report also found the number of deliberate fires fell by 40% in 2011 compared to 2010, and there were no fire deaths last year.

Mr James said: "This makes it one of the longest sustained periods without a single fire death."