FIRE chiefs have issued a warning after new figures revealed a fifth of fire fatalities across the county over the last five years were linked to alcohol consumption.

The data has been released by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) to coincide with its support for Alcohol Awareness Week, which runs until Sunday.

In the five years to April, WYFRS attended 793 fires where impairment due to suspected alcohol or drug consumption was a contributory factor, equating to 4.5 per cent of the total number of incidents.

Over the same time period in the Bradford district, alcohol use was linked to 202 out of 4,792 primary fires, an average rate of 4.2 per cent.

WYFRS area manager for fire safety, Ian Bitcon, said: "It's quite shocking that 20 per cent of fire fatalities involved alcohol, so please be careful especially with the Christmas party season soon to be upon us.

“When you have been drinking your reaction times are impaired and you are simply less vigilant, so there's more chance of accidental fires breaking out in the home.

"Ultimately, if you are drunk you are far less likely to be roused by a smoke alarm."

West Yorkshire Police have also voiced concerns over alcohol use after recording 859 collisions between April 2009 and April 2014 where drinking is believed to have contributed to the crash.

Over the five-year period across the Bradford district, 190 incidents have been linked to alcohol use, with the number down from 66 in 2009/10, to 24 last year.

Inspector Joanne Field said: "The risks of drinking too much alcohol are all too clear and can end in tragic consequences, particularly when it comes to drink driving.

"I would appeal to anyone who has had a drink and is considering getting behind the wheel to think of the potential consequences of their actions to themselves, their loved ones, and other road users."