Date of Request
08/08/25
Request
Hello Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service,
I hope this email finds you well.
Summary: This enquiry contains 3 questions asked under Freedom of information legislation, and 3 questions that can be answered by a senior Firefighter, Fire Investigator, or Crew Chief should they wish to aid our research (i.e. voluntary response).
Context: We are researching for a TV programme looking at air fryers, and potential hazards/ risks to the public around them for ITV’s current affairs strand ‘Tonight’ scheduled to broadcast in October 2025. We are submitting these questions to all 49 Fire and Rescue Services across the United Kingdom.
If you have any questions, or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
FOI request questions:
- How many instances of air fryers were recorded in your Incident Reporting System (IRS) logs OR were mentioned in the ‘stop message’ or additional information free text for the years: 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 to date?
- The number of callouts to fires where “air fryer” is named as the cause in each of the following calendar years: 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 to date.
- Please include any available details on the number/type of injuries or deaths, the number of your appliances attending, and the length of time needed to declare the scene safe.
Non-FOI request questions:
- Does your Fire and Rescue Service consider air fryers an emerging fire risk?
- Should air fryers be given a category in the IRS checklist?
- What approximate amount of air fryer incidents you responded to were caused by faulty or dangerous appliances, and what amount as a result of user error? (i.e. more than 50% user error?)
Thank you for your assistance in advance.
Kind regards,
Response
Good Afternoon,
Thank you for your request for information which has been received by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (the Service) and considered under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.
The Service can advise that the information is held and is as per the attached document.
If you have any questions regarding your request, please contact Information Governance and Committee Services on tel: 0345 122 4454 or by e-mail informationrequests@hwfire.org.uk
In any such communication please include the reference number assigned (see above).
Should you have any queries regarding the management of your request and wish to make either a complaint or request a review of the information disclosed to you, please do so by using Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service’s complaints system: Comments and Complaints.
Further information on Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service may be viewed at the Service’s website: www.hwfire.org.uk
Kind regards,
Information Governance Team