10/06/2024
Request
Dear FOI team,
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the
following information about fires at cannabis factories, and suspected cannabis factories, within your authority.
Good afternoon,
I am requesting the data for the following calendar years, 2019-2024 (until latest available date in 2024):
Q1: How many fires were recorded at suspected or confirmed cannabis factories in your authority, in each year?
Q2: If any, how many fatalities were recorded at each incident?
Many thanks,
Response
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 confirm that the information that you have requested is held and can be found below.
Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) submit incident reports to the Home Office’s Incident Recording System (IRS). A free-text search of incident recordings between 01/01/2019 and 31/05/2024 has been conducted using search criteria such as ‘cannabis’ or ‘cannabis factory’.
We have searched IRS submissions and found that HWFRS attended 15 fire incidents between 01/01/2019 and 31/05/2024 at premises where it was suspected that cannabis was being grown. The causes of the 15 fire incidents were not necessarily related to the cannabis production and associated equipment, but rather incidents were included providing cannabis production was discovered. The Police were notified of the Fire Officer’s discovery or suspicions at the time of the incident
I am requesting the data for the following calendar years, 2019-2024 (until latest available date in 2024):
Q1: How many fires were recorded at suspected or confirmed cannabis factories in your authority, in each year?
Q2: If any, how many fatalities were recorded at each incident?
| Calendar Year | Number of Fire Incidents | Fatalities |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 |
| 2024* | 0 | 0 |
*(to 31/05/2024)
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 Subject).
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. This must be done within 40 working days of our response to your request. After this date and in line with ICO guidance the Service is not obliged to provide an internal review of your request.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you may appeal the decision by contacting the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF, Tel: 0303 123 1113 (alternatively 01625 545745) or E-mail: casework@ico.org.uk.
Further information on Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service may be viewed at the Service’s website: www.hwfire.org.uk
Thank you for your request for information.
Kind regards
Information Governance Team