Housing agency distributes questionnaire to owners of older wooden houses across Iceland to improve fire safety

The Housing and Construction Agency has distributed a questionnaire to owners of older wooden houses across the country to enhance fire safety measures. Here, around 14,000 residential buildings meet the agency’s definition of older wooden structures.

Following a tragic fire on June 25, 2020, at Bræðraborgarstígur 1, which resulted in three fatalities, the initiative was launched to identify areas for improvement in fire safety. The building, constructed in 1910, lacked adequate fire safety measures.

Regína Valdimarsdóttir, the head of the Fire Safety and Market Surveillance Division, explained that the agency was tasked with following up on the proposed safety measures from the Minister. The survey aims to prompt homeowners to assess various aspects of fire safety in their buildings, such as the presence of smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, escape routes, and other features that influence fire safety.

The focus is primarily on structures built before 1999, and Regína noted that approximately 14,000 homes fall under the category of older wooden houses. The survey consists of 12 questions to evaluate the owners’ responses regarding fire safety.

In conjunction with the questionnaire, the agency has launched an educational campaign to improve fire safety in older wooden houses and reduce the significant risk of fire in these properties. More information is available on their website.