Fire inspectors find one in five Estonian homes lacks working smoke alarm

One in five households in Estonia has no working smoke alarm, ERR reported, as the Fire and Rescue Board checked smoke and carbon monoxide alarms across the country this week.

Last year, smoke alarms were present in about 83 percent of the homes inspected. The checks assess whether alarms are correctly installed and working, and inspectors offer help when needed.

On Wednesday evening, inspectors visited apartment buildings in Pärnu’s Mai residential district. Many residents were not home at 5 p.m., so inspectors left red reminder notices on several doors.

Even when an alarm was present, inspectors often found it had been installed incorrectly, had dead batteries or was not working for another reason, said Aveli Eeskivi, chief inspector with the Western Rescue Centre’s fire safety inspection team. In apartment buildings, she said, a faulty alarm can put neighbours at risk as well as residents and their families.

Inspectors give residents the chance to install a new alarm or replace its batteries. A non-working smoke alarm can result in an 80-euro fine, but Eeskivi said the inspections are intended to make homes safer, not to punish people. She said only a few fines had been issued across Estonia, for people who had shown clear negligence.

Eeskivi also urged alarm sellers to explain how to set up and use the devices when customers need assistance. Smoke alarms typically last seven to 10 years and should be tested every month.