Commenting on reports that the number of fires in London has fallen by a quarter in the past year, Paul Embery, London secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: “It’s of course great news that the number of fires is decreasing, which will mean less danger for both the public and firefighters.
“Nevertheless, there are still over 100,000 incidents taking place every year, and recent cuts mean that our capacity to respond quickly and effectively has taken a big dent.
‘It also remains a concern that the number of fire deaths in London has risen since Boris Johnson came to power in 2008, and the reduction in the number of fires should not be used to conceal that.
“These figures cannot be used to justify further cuts to fire services in London.”
