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Poverty, drink and smoking mean Scots twice as likely to die in fires

(The Scotsman 03/11/2009)

SCOTS are twice as likely to die in a fire than people living in the rest of the UK, according to a new report. The study found that, in many instances, smoking, alcohol, deprivation and living alone were major factors in the number of house fires. It was commissioned by the Scottish Government following a 62 per cent rise in the number of people killed in fires in Scotland between 2006-07 and 2007-08