Smoke alarm plea for boat owners in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire boat owners have been urged to fit their vessels with smoke alarms after six people died in boat fires in five years.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) said just two breaths of toxic smoke could cause unconsciousness.
NYFRS said more people would have survived if their boats had been fitted with working smoke alarms.
Peter Hudson from NYFRS said: "Boats with overnight accommodation ought to have smoke alarms fitted."
He added that as well has smoke alarms, boat owners should have an escape plan and know their location in case they need to inform the emergency services.
As well as preventing the loss of life the fire service said several other boats would not have been destroyed if owners had got an early enough warning to call the fire service and prevent the fire spreading.