Estonia sees record low fire and drowning deaths in 2025
Last year, 32 people died in fires and 28 in drownings in Estonia, marking a recent record low in fire- and water-related fatalities, rescue authorities reported Tuesday.
The Estonian Rescue Services Agency said there were 2,273 fires registered last year, down by 190 since 2024. This included 408 household fires, with 87 people rescued.
Fatal fires tended to involve older adults, with an average age of 67, and more than half of those killed were intoxicated. Smoking sparked half of all deadly fires last year, killing 16 people. 13 victims, the agency noted, did not have working smoke detectors at home.
By comparison, 50 people died in fires in 2015, and 36 in 202.
Property damage from fires totaled at least €11.4 million, but rescue efforts prevented an estimated €167.7 million more in losses.
Water-related accidents, meanwhile, killed 28 people last year, down 14 from 2024. The average age of drowning victims was 64, and nearly two-thirds of fatal drownings involved alcohol or drugs.
Most deaths occurred while crossing or passing by bodies of water, with others while fishing or swimming.
By comparison, 39 people died in water-related accidents in 2015, and 58 in 2020.
In total, rescue teams nationwide rescued 214 lives last year, including 72 from motor vehicle crashes, 39 from water-related accidents, seven from aviation incidents, six from gas leaks and three from other hazards.
Estonia's unified rescue services network now includes 5,303 personnel, combining 2,138 professional staff — 1,634 of them active duty — with 3,165 volunteers.
Estonia has 71 national rescue brigades, four bomb squads, 119 volunteer brigades and two reserve units. About 300 professionals and 250 volunteers are on standby at all times, ready for dispatch and able to reach 94 percent of the country's population within 15 minutes.
Last year, the Estonian Rescue Services Agency also sent 40 personnel in two rotations to help fight wildfires in Spain, and eight explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) personnel to Ukraine's Kharkiv region to help dispose of unexploded ordnance and aid in demining efforts.
Civil defense readiness efforts continue
Last year, Estonia tested its nationwide EE-ALARM notification system and siren network, and mapped out 302 public shelters, covering roughly 250,000 people.
Training and guidance also reached more than 120,000 residents. Director general Margo Klaos said the agency has achieved initial wartime civil defense readiness.
Klaos added that the EE-ALARM system will be tested regularly going forward, with three major drills planned for 2026.
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Editor: Mait Ots, Aili Vahtla
