A FIRE brigade in one of Europe's worst arson-hit areas plans to be the first in the north-east to install water sprinklers into people's homes.

Cleveland Fire Brigade, in partnership with the Government, private sector and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, aims to install the American-style sprinklers as part of a new campaign.

The sprinklers brought a remarkable cut in the number of casualties when introduced in the United States and now officers here want to see similar falls in the number of fire-related deaths and injuries.

The Cleveland scheme will be launched at the Fire Brigade Training Centre, in Grangetown, Middlesbrough, on Monday, where local MPs, councillors and fire officers will gather for a demonstration.

Assistant Divisional Officer Alan Gill said: "In the past, sprinklers have always been in industrial premises, and while they don't always extinguish the fire, they contain it sufficiently to allow the fire brigade to tackle it.

"In Arizona, where they have started to install them in homes, they have dramatically reduced the number of fire deaths and injuries. Not one death has been attributed to fire since the scheme began."

The Cleveland programme will concentrate on homes considered at greatest risk from fire, such as those inhabited by several children or elderly people. Already, a sprinkler has been installed at a home in Hartlepool and another in East Cleveland in a pilot initiative.

Ass DO Gill said: "Sprinklers have been shown to reduce fire damage by 80 per cent and to negate the risk of backdraughts by 100 per cent, allowing fire officers to work in a much safer environment.

"We hope to develop the scheme so that more and more properties get sprinklers.

"It will be evaluated as we go along, and as it proves successful, we will invest more and more money in it. We are hoping more and more MPs will get involved."

The programme, which coincides with others being run in Scotland, Wiltshire and Merseyside, is expected to be adopted by other brigades nationwide.

It will be the first major project undertaken by Cleveland Fire Authority's new chairperson, councillor Brenda Forster.

Updated: 15.01 Tuesday, June 19