Fire crews 'rescue 141 a month'

The union said the figures were likely to be an underestimate

The number of people being rescued by fire crews from road crashes and fires is 141 a month, according to the fire brigades union Scotland.

It has collated the most recent figures available for a five year period.

It said they were likely to be an underestimate as some types of rescues were not included.

The fire union said "human tragedy" lay behind these incidents and the numbers emphasised why it was "fighting against cuts to front line services".

A total of 4,181 people were rescued from house fires in Scotland in the period 2001-2005, the most recent five years for which data is available.

A further 4,280 people involved in traffic accidents were also rescued in the five years to 2005/6.

These figures have been collated from answers to parliamentary questions, freedom of information requests and some historical data contained in the official UK fire statistics.

Roddy Robertson, of the Fire Brigades Union Scotland, said: "Everyone in the fire service knows there is terrible human tragedy behind all these incidents.

"Lives are lost as well as saved and families, friends and communities are left devastated.

"These figures are not a celebration of the work of the fire service, but they do underline that there is hope, help, rescue and survival as well as tragedy and loss."

"They also emphasise why we as a union are continually fighting against cuts to front line services."