A worrying number of fires are happening in purpose-built flats where no smoke alarm was present to warn residents. New analysis of Fire and Rescue Service data by Drax Technology reveals that between April 2024 and March 2025, more than 1,200 fires occurred in occupied flats without a smoke alarm, leaving families, older people and other vulnerable residents exposed to significant risk.
With everyday causes such as cooking equipment and household appliances at the centre of most incidents, the absence of basic detection systems highlights an urgent need for stronger fire safety measures and clearer accountability from those responsible for residential buildings.
Smoke alarms: a legal requirement, not a nice-to-have
Under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations, landlords are legally required to install at least one smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation and ensure alarms are in working order at the start of each tenancy. Records of these checks must also be maintained.
Yet the data shows that in 1,225 fire incidents, no smoke alarm was installed in the flat where the fire occurred, the most severe classification recorded by Fire and Rescue Services.
Accidental fires, everyday causes
The majority of these incidents were logged as accidental, most commonly linked to the misuse of equipment or appliances. Cookers, fridges and toasters were among the most frequently cited sources.
These are everyday household risks and precisely the kind of incidents where an early warning from a functioning smoke alarm can make the difference between a minor incident and a fatal outcome.
London accounts for more than half of cases
London alone accounted for 651 of the fires, including 78 incidents in high-rise flats. This is especially significant given the city’s history with high-rise fire safety following the Grenfell Tower disaster in 2017.
In addition, nine of the affected flats were located in buildings identified as having cladding, across Avon, Essex, Greater London and Hampshire, highlighting the compounded risk when multiple safety issues coexist.
A wider national picture
While purpose-built flats are a major concern, the issue extends further. Across all property types in England, 5,581 fires were recorded where no alarm was present during the same period.
The data makes one thing clear: alarm absence remains a systemic problem, not an isolated oversight.
A warning for those responsible for building safety
These findings should prompt immediate action from anyone responsible for residents’ safety, whether in Build to Rent schemes, social housing, or private developments.
Alarms save lives and operating without one is incredibly dangerous. All of these fires occurred in an occupied home so we’re talking about vulnerable people including families and pensioners at risk.
Why digital fire safety records matter
Beyond installation, visibility and accountability are critical. Paper records, spreadsheets and unclear ownership make it far too easy for safety gaps to go unnoticed.
Keeping an up-to-date digital record of a building’s fire-safety systems is critical to preventing risks. There’s no place for guesswork. Relying on outdated tools or unclear responsibilities erodes system resilience and leaves lives exposed.
Modern digital compliance platforms enable building managers to monitor alarm performance in real time, receive live alerts, reduce false alarms and resolve faults faster, across entire property portfolios.
With modern monitoring, resilient systems, and live alerts, building managers can track alarm performance across all their buildings every single day. Above all, residents can be confident that their alarms will work when they need them most.
The takeaway
Smoke alarms are one of the simplest and most effective fire safety measures available, yet thousands of homes are still without one. The data is a clear call to action: fire safety compliance must be proactive, visible and continuously managed.
Back to Blog
