Fire Incidents in Odesa Region: Overview and Safety Tips

Since the start of 2025, there have been 7656 fire incidents in the Odesa region, resulting in 55 fatalities, including two children. Additionally, 130 people sustained injuries, among them nine children and nine rescuers. This information was provided by the press service of the Odesa City Council.

The highest number of fatalities due to fires has been observed in the Odesa, Podilsk, and Bereziv districts. The majority of victims are pensioners and unemployed individuals aged over 61.
The primary causes of these fires include careless handling of fire, particularly negligence while smoking under the influence, as well as violations of electrical installation operation rules and stove safety. Estimated direct material losses from the fires exceed 2 billion 490 million hryvnias.

Rescuers urge citizens to adhere to fire safety rules in their homes. Specifically:

• ensure heating sources are in good condition before the heating season begins;
• regularly clean chimneys and stoves from soot, checking for cracks;
• during the heating season, do not leave stoves unattended and never leave children alone at home with a lit stove;
• stoves should be cleaned from soot and debris at least once every three months; a metal sheet measuring at least 0.5 x 0.7 m should be placed in front of the stove opening;
• stoves and other heating appliances must have fire separation from combustible structures;
• do not use uncertified or homemade heating devices; do not place heating appliances directly under sockets or in evacuation paths;
• avoid plugging too many electrical devices into extension cords, as the electrical grid may not handle the overload; keep young children supervised and do not allow them to play with matches or lighters;
• it is prohibited to use electric heating devices for drying clothes or other materials; do not leave electric heating devices on when leaving the house; do not smoke in bed.

Citizens are also reminded of the rules for using gas burners and that all gas tourist cylinders are single-use. Key rules include:

• do not leave cylinders in direct sunlight;
• remove the cylinder from the gas burner away from open flames;
• keep burners away from children and flammable materials;
• carefully read instructions and safety rules before use.