A fire on a school site can damage buildings and disrupt pupils’ education long after the incident ends. This guide combines current official figures for education premises in England with a clearly dated study of school fires in 2019. The official incident category is broader than primary and secondary schools; the audit figures specifically identify schools.
Reviewed 15 October 2026. Annual figures cover England, April 2025 to March 2026, unless another period or geography is stated. Historical studies, guidance and court cases are labelled separately.
Key facts and figures
- 445 fires were recorded in education premises in England in 2025/26, compared with 417 in 2024/25.
- 66 non-fatal casualties were recorded in education-premises fires in England in 2025/26.
- 480 schools experienced fires in Zurich’s 2019 study, which used responses from 41 of 54 UK fire services/authorities.
- Over 15,000 m² of classroom space was damaged in Zurich’s study of school fires in 2019.
- Seven fire-affected schools in Zurich’s 2019 study were reported to have sprinkler protection.
- 72% of school fire safety audits in England in 2025/26 were satisfactory (1,611 of 2,234).
The scale of school fire risk
MHCLG table FIRE0301 records 445 fires in education premises in England in 2025/26, up from 417 in 2024/25. They represented 3.3% of the 13,679 primary fires in other buildings. The education category includes more than schools, so these figures should not be described as school-only or UK-wide counts. The table records 66 non-fatal casualties and no fire-related fatalities in education premises for the year.
Primary-fire statistics include fires in non-derelict buildings attended and recorded by fire and rescue services, regardless of the size of the fire. They are not restricted to large incidents. A much older estimate of 1,400–1,800 UK school fires appeared in a 2007 NFER report citing Zurich material from 2005; it is historical evidence and should not be added to the current official total.
The disruption is illustrated by Zurich’s study of school fires in 2019: fires at 480 primary and secondary schools affected or displaced almost 20,000 children and damaged over 15,000 m² of classroom space. The study drew on responses from 41 of 54 UK fire services/authorities, so it was not a complete census of every school or a measure for 2025/26.
Causes of school fires
Education-premises fires in England in 2025/26 comprised 380 accidental incidents and 65 deliberate incidents. Deliberate fires accounted for 14.6% of the total. This classification covers the wider education category and does not provide a school-only ranking of individual ignition causes.
Deliberate fire-setting. Security, combustible storage and arrangements for detecting a fire outside occupied hours should be considered in the site’s fire risk assessment.
Electrical equipment. Wiring, appliances and equipment in laboratories, workshops and ICT areas need maintenance and appropriate controls for their use.
Kitchens. Cooking, grease deposits and extraction equipment require suitable cleaning, maintenance and fire precautions. Staff should understand the site’s procedures for raising the alarm and responding safely.
Sprinkler protection and school fire damage
Zurich reported that seven of the fire-affected schools in its 2019 study had sprinkler protection. This describes the schools affected by fire in that historical dataset; it does not establish the proportion of all UK schools with sprinklers today.
The study illustrates why protecting education buildings is about continuity as well as immediate evacuation. Sprinklers can form part of a wider protection strategy alongside detection, compartmentation and maintained fire doors. The appropriate measures depend on the building, applicable requirements and its fire risk assessment.
Legal requirements for school fire safety
In England and Wales, the Fire Safety Order places duties on the responsible person to assess and manage fire risks. Relevant responsibilities include:
- A suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment for the premises and the people using them.
- Appropriate fire precautions, maintained equipment and usable escape routes.
- Emergency procedures that account for pupils, staff, visitors and anyone who needs assistance.
- Information and training for staff, with enough competent people to assist with the necessary precautions.
The government educational-premises guide explains the assessment process and practical precautions. In England in 2025/26, 1,611 of 2,234 school audits (72%) were satisfactory. Audits are targeted through local risk programmes; the result is not a random survey of all schools and does not measure the effect of any single training intervention.
Fire drills: government guidance and local planning
The government educational-premises guide recommends a fire drill at least annually and preferably each term or semester, with the fire risk assessment informing the arrangements. Local policies may require more frequent drills. A universal statutory minimum of three drills a year should not be inferred from this guidance.
Record the date, attendance, evacuation performance and problems found, then act on the findings. Drills and staff training should reflect the people and activities on site, including arrangements for anyone needing assistance.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Education-premises fires (England, 2025/26) | 445 |
| Accidental education-premises fires (England, 2025/26) | 380 |
| Non-fatal casualties in education fires (England, 2025/26) | 66 |
| Schools experiencing fires (Zurich 2019 study) | 480 |
| Children affected or displaced (Zurich 2019 study) | Almost 20,000 |
| Classroom space damaged (Zurich 2019 study) | Over 15,000 m² |
| Fire-affected schools with sprinklers (Zurich 2019 study) | Seven |
| Satisfactory school fire safety audits (England, 2025/26) | 72% (1,611 of 2,234) |
Make sure your school or workplace has trained fire wardens in place.
Explore the Fire Warden / Fire Marshal Course →Sources & references
- MHCLG — FIRE0301: fires and casualties in education premises, England
- MHCLG — Fire prevention and protection, England, April 2025 to March 2026
- MHCLG — FIRE1202: school fire safety audits
- Zurich — Study of school fires in 2019: “40 schools a month hit by fires”
- NFER — The impact of school fires (2007; cites an estimate from 2005)
- GOV.UK — Fire safety risk assessment: educational premises
Mark writes about workplace fire safety, compliance and online training for Fire Marshal Training, part of Online CPD Academy.