Avon Fire and Rescue Service

Local government · Fire and rescue service

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First report 12 Feb 2016•Latest report 12 Feb 2016

Reports, concerns and published responses

Reports over time

Reports naming this recipient by issue year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Reports
1

Naming this recipient

Published responses
100%

Found for named reports

Concerns addressed
1

Across all linked responses

Stated actions
4

Described in responses

Concerns and recipient responses

Statements from Avon Fire and Rescue Service linked to the concerns in each report. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

  1. Avon

    AI-generated summary

    Mr. Joseph Sarkozy · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Mr. Joseph Sarkozy was found dead in his first-floor bedroom after a fire involving discarded smoking materials and bedding. Fire officers had initially attributed smoke and burning smells from the adjoining property to dust on kitchen light fittings, despite the absence of positive evidence. The principal concern was that this conclusion may have delayed recognition of the fire, and the report called for national dissemination of learning about this risk.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Avon Fire and Rescue Service; that does not assign responsibility.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to require positive evidence before concluding that dust on light fittings caused smoke and burning smell

    Wider context from the report

    “(1) The fire officers who attended the premises concluded that the ceiling lights in the kitchen were the most likely source of the smoke and smell which had been detected. (2) This conclusion was reached as no other source of the smoke and smell was found. (3) This conclusion was reached notwithstanding there had been no report of any previous problems with the light fittings; no smoke or smell could be detected coming from the light fittings when inspected; the boxes in the room above the light fittings had been dislodged some time before the smoke and smell was detected; and no obvious layer of dust was observed in the room above the light fittings. (4) The fire service should disseminate nationally the learning from this incident to ensure that other fire officers and fire fighters are aware of the risk of concluding that dust on light fittings can be the cause of smoke and burning smell in the absence of any positive evidence. ”
    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Include the incident scenario in operational crew training beginning in the next training year as an ongoing awareness programme.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “I have considered your report and detail below actions taken, or to be taken by the service to help prevent future deaths. Information relating to this incident will be shared throughout AF&RS in the following manner:”

    Source location

    Avon-Fire-PFD-response
    Page 1 · response
    Published 12 February 2016

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Amend the Domestic and Residential Fires Risk Card following the review.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “• Initial information provided for use at incidents to crews within our Risk Card system has also been reviewed. Some amendments will be made to the Domestic and Residential Fires card.”

    Source location

    Avon-Fire-PFD-response
    Page 1 · response
    Published 12 February 2016

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Review the Domestic and Residential Fires Risk Card for incident information and operational guidance.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “• Initial information provided for use at incidents to crews within our Risk Card system has also been reviewed. Some amendments will be made to the Domestic and Residential Fires card.”

    Source location

    Avon-Fire-PFD-response
    Page 1 · response
    Published 12 February 2016

    Open published response
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Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026