Fire Statistics for Teesside 2025
Teesside, served by Cleveland Fire Brigade (covering Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar & Cleveland, and Hartlepool), has seen a noticeable uptick in fire-related emergencies in 2025. As of the latest official performance data (covering 1 April 2025 to 28 February 2026, reflecting most of the 2025/26 reporting year), the brigade responded to 9,164 emergency incidents — a 21% increase from the same period the previous year (7,553 incidents).
Fires make up a significant portion of these calls. While the brigade continues to perform strongly in areas like fire fatalities (just 1 recorded in the period) and injuries (down 10%), the data highlights growing challenges, particularly with deliberate fires. These statistics come directly from Cleveland Fire Brigade’s public performance dashboard and align with broader UK Home Office trends showing rising fire incidents nationally in 2025.
Key Fire Statistics at a Glance (April 2025 – February 2026)
Here’s a clear breakdown of fire types attended by Cleveland Fire Brigade. Percentages are calculated relative to the total fires (approximately 5,174 based on primary + secondary trends):
| Incident Type | Number | Percentage of Total Fires | Change from prior period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Fires | 776 | 15% | +15% | Fires involving property, vehicles, casualties, or requiring 5+ appliances. |
| Secondary Fires | 4,398 | 85% | +40% | Non-property fires (e.g., rubbish, grassland, wheelie bins, derelict buildings). |
| Deliberate Fires (total) | ~4,606 (full period trend) | ~83–89% | +27%+ | Vast majority are secondary fires; a major ongoing challenge. |
| Accidental Fires (total) | ~860 | ~17% | +47% | Includes accidental dwelling fires. |
| Accidental Dwelling Fires | 190 | ~4% | +20% | Fires in homes (a key prevention focus). |
Total Fires: Significantly up, driven largely by secondary and deliberate incidents.
Source: Cleveland Fire Brigade Performance Dashboard (latest data uploaded March 2026).
What the Numbers Tell Us
- Secondary fires dominate: 85% of all fires were secondary (rubbish, vegetation, bins, etc.). These are often quicker to extinguish but tie up resources and can escalate.
- Deliberate fires are the biggest issue: Over 83% of fires were intentionally set — with sharp rises reported across Teesside, including in Hartlepool. Brigade leaders have called deliberate fires “one of the biggest challenges” and are working with police and councils to tackle them.
- Primary fires (the more serious ones) rose 15%. These include dwelling and vehicle fires that pose greater risk to life and property.
- Accidental dwelling fires are also up, underscoring the importance of smoke alarms and fire safety education.
Important Advice for Landlords in Teesside
If you are a landlord letting properties in Middlesbrough, Stockton, Redcar & Cleveland, or Hartlepool, the rising fire statistics — especially the increase in accidental dwelling fires and deliberate incidents — make fire safety in your rental properties more critical than ever.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (as amended by the Fire Safety Act 2021), you (or the “responsible person” for the building) have a legal duty to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment for any property that is not a single private dwelling.
This includes:
- Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)
- Blocks of flats or apartments
- Any rented property with shared or communal areas (e.g., corridors, staircases, kitchens, or entrances used by more than one household)
Why must the assessment be “suitable and sufficient”?
- Suitable means it is appropriate to the specific risks in your property — taking into account its layout, construction, occupancy type, and any vulnerable residents (e.g., Older tenants, families with young children, or people with mobility issues).
- Sufficient means it is thorough enough to properly identify all significant fire hazards, evaluate the risks to people, and put in place adequate control measures to reduce or eliminate those risks.
A proper fire risk assessment helps you:
- Identify potential ignition sources (electrical faults, cooking equipment, smoking materials, etc.)
- Assess means of escape, fire detection and alarm systems, fire doors, and emergency lighting
- Consider external factors like cladding, balconies, or storage of combustible materials (increasingly relevant after national incidents)
- Protect tenants, visitors, and firefighters — while reducing your own liability
In Teesside’s current climate of rising deliberate secondary fires and accidental dwelling fires, a good assessment can prevent small issues (like a poorly maintained smoke alarm or blocked escape route) from turning into a tragedy. It also helps demonstrate compliance if inspected by the fire brigade or local authority.
Practical steps for Teesside landlords:
- Ensure the assessment is carried out (or reviewed) by a competent person with appropriate training and experience.
- Review and update it regularly — at least annually, or sooner after any significant change (new tenants, building works, or if a fire occurs nearby).
- Install and maintain smoke alarms on every storey and carbon monoxide alarms where required (Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations).
- Combine this with Cleveland Fire Brigade’s free or low-cost Safer Homes visits where possible.
- For HMOs and multi-occupied buildings, the assessment must cover common parts as well as individual units where relevant.
Failure to comply can lead to enforcement notices, fines, or even prosecution. More importantly, it puts lives at risk in an area already seeing increased fire activity.Cleveland Fire Brigade provides useful guidance for landlords on their website — check their “Your rented home” section for local advice.
National Context
UK-wide fire and rescue statistics for wild fires for the year ending September 2025 show a 33% national increase in fires attended by services in England. Cleveland’s trends mirror this broader pattern, though the brigade’s high rate of deliberate secondary fires stands out as a local priority.
Why This Matters for Teesside Residents
Fires don’t just cost money — they risk lives, damage homes and businesses, and strain emergency services. The good news? Most fires (especially secondary and deliberate ones) are preventable through community awareness, reporting suspicious activity, and simple home safety steps like fitting and maintaining smoke alarms.
Cleveland Fire Brigade continues its prevention work, including targeted campaigns against arson and wheelie-bin fires. If you live in Teesside, check your smoke alarms today and report any concerns about deliberate fire-setting to the police or brigade.