Brick and block resist arson

Home Office statistics indicate over 60 people die in deliberate fires each year, so it's reassuring that there is a home with built-in fire resistance, says the Traditional Housing Bureau.

Arson is one of the major causes of fire in the UK, Government statistics confirm.

With Home Office statistics indicating that over 60 people dying in deliberate fires each year, it's reassuring to know that there is a home with built-in fire resistance, says the Traditional Housing Bureau.

Government statistics reveal that around a fifth of all arson attacks are on residential properties - and over 1 in 5 fires in homes are started deliberately.

In addition to the cost to human life caused by these attacks, malicious dwelling fires result in around GBP55 million worth of damage each year.

The Traditional Housing Bureau suggests that one way to defend against the terrible effects of a blaze, whether deliberate or accidental, is to choose a home that is inherently resistant to fire.

Homes built from brick and concrete block withstand flames almost indefinitely, according to research, and in the aftermath of the most ferocious conflagration, leave a shell that can be restored.

The home may be damaged and wet, but it can be restored in order for the family to return - demonstrating the 'bouncebackability' of brick and block buildings.

Dwellings built using lightweight timber or prefabricated methods are more likely to burn more strongly.

If the structural timbers are affected, the building will be irreparable.

Back to top