New analysis of more than 26,000 fire incidents in non-domestic buildings has highlighted the continued and significant risk posed by ‘hot work’ activities across England.

Drawing on Office for National Statistics (ONS) fire incident data and analysis undertaken by CE Safety, the research examined fires where the source of ignition was linked to hot work activities, including welding, cutting and the use of blow lamps, across all Fire and Rescue Service areas in England.

While the data shows a modest reduction in hot work-related fires in 2024–2025, the findings confirm that welding and cutting remain the dominant cause, accounting for over four in every five hot work fires year on year.

In the 2023–2024 financial year, 199 hot work-related fires were recorded, with 85% attributed to welding or cutting activities. In 2024–2025, the total number of hot work fires fell by 9% to 182 incidents, representing 1.3% of all non-dwelling fires in England. However, the proportion caused by welding and cutting remained unchanged at 85%, reinforcing the persistent risks associated with these activities.

Analysis of incidents within the construction sector shows that 12 fires occurred in buildings under construction during 2023–2024, compared with eight incidents in 2024–2025.

Across both financial years, 32 hot work-related fires resulted in at least one casualty or fatality, with 19 incidents recorded in 2023–2024 and 13 in 2024–2025. This underlines the potential for serious harm when hot work controls are inadequate or not properly implemented.

Regionally, the highest proportion of hot work fires relative to all non-dwelling fires in 2024–2025 was recorded in Cumbria (4.55%), followed by Derbyshire (4.06%), Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (3.85%), North Yorkshire (3.57%), and Hereford and Worcester (3.5%).

For 2023–2024, the regions with the highest percentages were Northumberland (4.6%), Hertfordshire (3.98%), Devon and Somerset (3.91%), West Yorkshire (3.0%), and North Yorkshire (2.93%).

These findings reinforce the importance of robust hot work management, including effective risk assessment, permit-to-work systems, competent supervision and post-work fire monitoring, to reduce preventable fires and protect life, property and the built environment.

Gary Ellis, managing director of CE Safety, commented: “While the number of fires related to ‘hot works’ don’t contribute to a huge percentage of the total number of fires in England every year, our analysis of data from the ONS still shows that these highly dangerous incidents do still happen consistently every year. Although there was a drop in the number of ‘hot work’-related fires in 2024-2025, it was only small and there’s still a significant number of such fires being attended. These fires should be near enough avoidable.”

Ellis continued: “There’s often a lack of managerial oversight of ‘hot work’ activities. The requirements for a fire risk assessment and ‘hot work’ permit are well known, but in many cases they’re generic and treated more like a paper exercise by both the client and the contractor. The data we’ve presented here shows that proper practices should always be put in place when conducting ‘hot works’, thereby ensuring everyone has received comprehensive fire training for safety purposes.”