FIREFIGHTERS say their warnings are not getting through after revealing smoke alarms could have prevented 39 fire deaths in Lancashire in the last three years.

Now they are to target the elderly with their fire safety message.

John Taylor, a spokesman for the county's fire service, said: "The lesson still has to get across. The target group is clearly older people.

"Sometimes elderly people don't always acknowledge their age and recognise that they have got slower and more frail. They think of themselves as in their 20s and able to get out if there was a fire.

"It is hard to get the community fire safety message across to them."

Figures revealed there were 63 fire deaths in Lancashire from April, 2000, to March, 2003. A study showed that most happened in living rooms of terrace houses. People aged over 60 were the most common victims, with 17 deaths.

Cigarettes started 16 of the fires ,with only three incidents caused by an electrical fault. Other causes included chip pans, candles and electric blankets that had been left on.

Twenty-nine of the homes involved did not have a smoke alarm. In 10 others, smoke alarms were faulty, eight because they had no batteries in them.

Most fires happened on Sundays, with the period from April to September being the busiest. The majority of deaths happened between midnight and 6am.

About 50 of the 63 deaths could have been prevented by taking safety precuations. Firefighters will use the information to ensure their free home safety checks, in which they fit smoke alarms, are being targeted at 'high risk' groups of people.

ay if we don't patronise. Community fire safety is undoubtedly something that will get more resources in the future. Prevention is better than having to rescue people."