Citation

Squires T, Busuttil A. Med. Sci. Law 1997; 37(4): 321-325.

Affiliation

Forensic Medicine Unit, University of Edinburgh Medical School.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, British Academy of Forensic Sciences, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9383941

Abstract

The association between house fire fatalities and high blood-alcohol concentrations has been recognized as a particular problem in Scotland. Alcohol intoxication increases the risk of the outbreak of fire and decreases the intoxicated individual's ability to effect an escape. This survey investigates the reported blood-alcohol concentrations from all Scottish fire fatalities during the 11-year period 1980-90 and analyses the data by age, sex, year and geographical location. Alcohol intoxication in fires is shown both to be a national problem and one relevant to females as well as males. Fire prevention campaigns must continue to emphasize the risk of consuming excessive quantities of alcohol in the home whilst parallel efforts to reduce the objective risk should be encouraged.