THE elderly are being targeted in a campaign to halt the rising toll of fire related injuries and deaths.

Greater Manchester County Fire Service has launched the campaign following a marked increase in the number of fire deaths and injuries in the county this year.

Chief Fire Officer George Almond, said: "In recent years the brigade has been extremely successful in reducing fire related deaths.

"Figures for 1996 reached their lowest level. This was achieved by positive community fire safety initiatives."

He added that the brigade was now re-doubling its efforts by renewing successful campaigns and fire safety training to tackle the problems.

The majority of the deaths relate directly to carelessly discarded smoking materials and a large proportion of victims are aged over 60.

The number of fire related injuries for the first three months of this year was 376, of these 136 are directly related to cooking in the home.

As part of the campaign, community fire officers will again visit local "Care in the Community" schemes in the county to talk to some of the 9000 carers for the aged who were trained in fire safety aspects last year.

Also aiming to get the message across will be a poster campaign aimed at the over 60s and a new radio commercial highlighting the dangers from smoking materials and cooking related fires.

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