International students in Rotherham are being taught fire safety thanks to a specially tailored course delivered by South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue.

Around 200 students studying English at Rotherham College have already completed the week long programme aimed at raising fire safety awareness.

The classes have proved so successful that SYFR has agreed to repeat them next year as well as arranging to run a similar course relating to road safety.

SYFR's Hussain Ibrahim, from the service's Prevention & Protection team, said: “The course was specially designed to meet the needs of students whose first language isn't English. We focused on basic safety information such as having a smoke alarm and an evacuation plan and reinforced the messages visually through pictures and video.

“It's important that we reach all groups across Rotherham with our community safety messages so we can continue reducing the number of house fires and fire-related injuries.”

The first students on the course, delivered by SYFR's Community Engagement Advisors, were a range of nationalities including Spanish, Columbian, Iranian and Slovakian.

Recent statistics released by SYFR show that accidental house fires in Rotherham are down 16 per cent over the last 3 years. Injuries from house fires continue to fall and the town hasn't seen a fire fatality for the last four years.