The Fire Protection and Rescue Department’s report publishes 5 months of statistics: 159 lives were saved during fires and rescue operations, while overall there are more fires and fatalities this year.
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Compared to the same period in 2025, when there were 4447 fires and 37 deaths, this year recorded 246 more fires (5.5%) and 16 more deaths (43.2%).
39 men and 11 women died in fires, and the identity of 3 persons is unknown; the average age of the deceased is 65 years.
According to fire statistics from 2021–2025, on average, 4094 fires occur in the first five months of the year, with 45 residents dying. This year, fires increased by 14.6%, and deaths in them by 17.8%.
Reviewing the last ten years, the highest number of fire deaths in the first five months was in 2017 – 57, and in 2021, as well as this year – 53.
This year, there were 5 fires in which 2 residents died each, and 43 fires claimed one life each.
16 people (30.2%) died in cities, and 37 (69.8%) in towns and rural areas. Eighteen residents died in Vilnius County (6 in Vilnius district, 4 in Trakai district), 7 in Šiauliai County, 5 each in Kaunas and Klaipėda counties, 4 each in Marijampolė and Panevėžys counties, 3 each in Alytus, Telšiai, and Utena counties, and 1 in Tauragė County.
Most people died in fires on Monday (11 residents); in the middle of the month, i.e., from the 11th to the 19th day, 25 people died in fires, or 47% of the deceased; the deadliest time of day was from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. (32 residents died, or 60% of the deceased).
39 men and 11 women died in fires, and the identity of 3 persons is unknown; the average age of the deceased is 65 years.
Fifteen residents died due to careless smoking, 11 due to violations and malfunctions in the installation and operation of stoves, fireplaces, and chimneys, 9 due to careless behavior with fire, 7 due to electrical equipment, devices, and electrical installation malfunctions, 1 each due to gas, kerosene, gasoline equipment and device operation violations, and due to an external fire source, 3 due to other reasons. The causes of death for 6 more deceased are being clarified.
During fires, firefighters saved 57 residents, including 1 child, 339 buildings, 99 vehicles, and 618 animals.
Higher number of fires – in towns and rural areas
In the first 5 months of this year, 1391 fires occurred in residential buildings, i.e., 29.6% of all fires, with 39 deaths (29 residents in fires in individual houses). Compared to the same period in 2025, when 1106 fires occurred in residential buildings and 31 residents died, this year the number of fires in residential buildings increased by 25.8%, and deaths by 8 residents, or 25.8% more.
In cities, 585 fires occurred in residential buildings this year, with 9 deaths, while in towns and rural areas, 806 fires occurred, with 30 deaths. There were 1032 fires in individual houses, of which 539 were due to soot igniting in chimneys.
Fire damaged 220 cars
This year, auxiliary farm buildings caught fire 410 times (8.7% of all fires), most often farm buildings (165 fires), saunas (81), garages (40); 419 fires occurred in vehicles (8.9% of all fires), during which fire damaged 220 passenger cars. 44 fires occurred in production and industrial buildings (0.9% of all fires).
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1312 fires occurred in open areas, i.e., 28.0% of all fires. More than 500 hectares of open areas were burned during these fires. 67% of open area fires occurred in rural areas. The majority of these were fires in uncut meadows. In Vilnius County, 563 open area fires were extinguished, in Kaunas – 178, Panevėžys – 107, and fewer in other counties.
In cities, 2160 fires were extinguished this year (46.0% of all fires), and in towns and rural areas – 2533 (54.0%). Fire destroyed 117 buildings, 92 vehicles, 882 animals, 1731 sq. m of living space, and 2919 sq. m of this space was damaged.
Main causes of fires – external fire source (19.5%), violations and malfunctions in the installation and operation of stoves, fireplaces, and chimneys (16.6%), careless human behavior with fire (12.8%), electrical equipment, devices, electrical installation malfunctions (8.5%), vehicle electrical installation malfunctions (5.5%), burning of grass, stubble, agricultural waste (4.8%), careless smoking (3.2%), spontaneous ignition of materials (2.3%).
Additionally, 75 arson cases (1.6%) were registered, and causes of 448 fires (9.5%) are still under investigation.
Over 6 thousand rescue operations performed in the first five months of this year
Besides firefighting, firefighters performed 6090 rescue operations from January to May. Compared to the same period last year, when 5418 rescue operations were performed, the need increased by 12.4%. Firefighters provided assistance to residents in households 2220 times, including 745 technical assistance tasks: removing trees or branches fallen due to snow or wind, pulling out stuck vehicles, etc.
Last year, during the same period, 518 technical assistance tasks were performed, so this year the demand for these tasks is 43.8% higher. Firefighters assisted other special services 2466 times, including 1637 tasks assisting emergency medical workers (this number increased by 23.6% compared to the same period last year).
Rushed to accident sites 713 times
They helped people in car accidents 713 times, using special rescue equipment and other means to free 52 injured persons from wrecked cars and recover 6 deceased.
Firefighters worked in water 115 times (39 of these on ice). During water operations, they recovered 32 drowning victims and saved 11 residents. Men make up 75% of drowned persons recovered by firefighters. Most drowning victims were recovered in Kaunas (11) and Panevėžys (7) counties.
Firefighters were on duty 245 times for bomb disposal, 259 times for chemical incident response, 24 times for mercury collection, etc. During rescue operations, they saved 102 residents, including 8 children.
Additional challenges in summer
With summer beginning, the Fire Protection and Rescue Department warns residents to be especially careful near water bodies: not to swim in unknown, remote places, especially after consuming alcoholic beverages.
It is safer to choose a beach or place where more people swim and where lifeguards are present.
Do not leave young children unattended near water. Last June, firefighters rescued 13 drowning victims from water bodies, including 3 children, and saved 6 residents.
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