In January 2026 alone, WYFRS attended nine incidents linked to items being stored on or near hobs that were either left on accidentally or switched on unintentionally. This remains one of the leading causes of domestic fires in West Yorkshire and has seen residents lose their lives.
The incidents last month included:
- Two air fryers placed on top of hobs that were accidentally activated.
- Four cases where towels or clothing were left on hobs that had been left on or accidentally turned on.
- One plastic container placed on an active hob.
- Two chopping boards left on top of hobs.
WYFRS has been monitoring this trend since 2020, during which time the increased use of induction hobs contributed to a rise in incidents. Prevention teams introduced changes to Safe and Well recording, strengthened partnership working, delivered additional training, and shared consistent internal and external safety messaging.
Data now suggests these efforts are beginning to have a positive impact, particularly among people living alone. However, it is still a real danger with teams coming across fires, or the potential for fires every day out in our communities
Ian Dellow from the Prevention Team at WYFRS, said “We have been concerned about the steady rise in fires caused by inappropriate storage on cooker hobs, especially as induction hobs have become more common in homes across West Yorkshire. We continue to encourage all households to keep cooker hobs completely clear, avoid using them as temporary storage, and ensure controls are not knocked or activated accidentally. We have unfortunately seen people lose their lives due to fires started this way so it’s a really serious risk, for something that can seem so harmless.”
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