The case summed up Hilde Jenny Oskarsen and Kjetil Willumsen in Steigen experienced a nightmare when their house burned down in the run-up to Christmas. The fire was so intense that the firefighters had never experienced anything like it. 32 people died in fires in Norway in 2023, which is the second lowest figure since 1979. The main cause of fatal fires in Norway is open fire, such as smoking and the use of candles. 75 per cent of those who die in fires are from the group of the elderly, those in need of care and drug addicts. More men die in fires than women. DSB is working to find answers to why this is so. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. The pre-Christmas period turned into a small nightmare for Hilde Jenny Oskarsen and Kjetil Willumsen in Steigen municipality in Nordland. When Hilde baked Christmas cookies in the kitchen, and the couple decorated for Christmas, she and her roommate Kjetil discovered a strange smell in the house. There was no smell of wood burning or burning Christmas cookies. – The fire alarm went off, but we didn’t notice any smoke. We went into the kitchen and turned off the fire alarm. The roommate went downstairs, and it wasn’t long before he shouted that Hilde had to get out. The house was fully ablaze, and the smoke poured out the door. – After 25 minutes, almost the entire house was engulfed in flames. We were sent to the emergency room and returned after some time. It was a tiring affair, says Hilde. The home of Hilde Jenny Oskarsen and Kjetil Willumsen started burning at the end of November 2023. Photo: Nordland police district The second-lowest Sambuar couple could do nothing as the flames engulfed the house and all the memories that Kjetil Willumsen had built up since 1992. – The firemen had never experienced that it was so overheated and that it burned for so long. I like to focus on the fact that we are both here, we also take the downturns that come after Christmas, says Oskarsen. This year they celebrated Christmas as usual in a rented flat. And they are not alone in saving their lives. But not everyone is as lucky. During Christmas, one person died after a fire in Sunnmøre. A total of 10 people died in fires in December Statistics from DSB show that 34 people died in fires, divided into 24 men and 10 women. This is the second lowest number since DBS started keeping statistics in 1979. The year with the most deaths was precisely 1979. 91 people died then. Next on the list is 2008, when 82 people died. Johan Marius Ly is department director at DSB, and believes that the figures are primarily good news. – If we look at the numbers for the last two decades, the arrows point down to a targeted collaboration between the fire and rescue services, the electricity industry, the insurance industry and the governing authorities. But it is tragic that many people still die in fires. – What kind of measures and focus do they think have contributed to bringing these figures down? – If I were to point to one issue that is the most important, it is that there is a very large focus on having smoke detectors. There is a requirement that everyone must have smoke detectors, one on each floor. The main cause is open fire. One of the measures is also the battery change day for smoke alarms, and preventive work with risk groups. – Especially under the auspices of the local fire and rescue departments. Ly says that there is one thing that causes the most fatal fires in Norway. – The main cause is open fire. Johan Marius Ly is department director at DSB Photo: Anita Andersen (DSB) It can be through smoking, using candles and so on. In December with Christmas celebrations and in January, people are more inside. People are enjoying themselves with candlelight, lighting the fireplace and using more electrical equipment than usual in the year. – All this constitutes a greater and additional risk of fire, he says. He primarily recommends replacing live candles with LED lights, or similar. – And never have open flames that are not under supervision in the house. Several men die In the report to DSB, it is stated that 75 per cent of those who die in fires are from the group of the elderly, those in need of care and substance abusers. Ly says that both family and municipal services can do a lot to ensure that these are less represented in the statistics. – It is to check that the smoke detectors work, have a new battery, and that the condition of the home is good. Take an extra check so that safety procedures relating to open flames and live lights are followed, if necessary replace them with LED lights. A cabin that burned down in Lødingen on Palm Saturday earlier this year. Fortunately, no one was killed in this fire. Photo: Jens Andre M. Birkeland Speaking for the last two years, one can see that a majority of those who die in fires are men. In 2023, 22 men, nine women and two unknowns died. Also in 2022, there was a preponderance of men who died – It is men who die most frequently, compared to women. We don’t know the reason for that. Probably because they are simply more exposed than women are, generally speaking. DSB is working to find an answer to precisely that question, which they hope can come early in the new year. 9 out of 10 who die in a fire do so in their own home. – This can give us a better overview and a better basis for targeting preventive measures in the work set precisely against those who are most exposed. Beware of the fire hazard in the winter cold Hilde and Kjetil are very happy that they had smoke alarms when they needed them most. – It’s a credit that we had a fire alarm, otherwise we could have been standing in the living room while there was a fire below us. We might not have noticed anything until we had fallen through the floor, says Hilde. She adds that many in the municipality have now started to check that they have everything in order with regard to fire safety. Because the risk of fire increases towards winter as a result of us being at home more often in our homes. We use more open heat such as candles and fires in the fireplace, at the same time we cook more food and gather in large groups more often. Salten Brann IKS encourages everyone to, among other things, have fire drills in the home. These tips can be useful: Make sure you have dry wood, good draft and that the pipe is clean. Check that electric Christmas lights are not damaged when you take them down from the attic. Never walk away from candles or fireplaces. Check that smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are working. Switch off appliances, such as the television, when you are not using it. Be attentive and react quickly if something happens in the kitchen.
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Fewer people die in fires – smoke alarms save Hilde and Kjetil from a house fire in Steigen – news Nordland
