FIREFIGHTERS say their warnings are not getting through after revealing smoke alarms could have prevented 39 fire deaths in the last three years.

The figures were revealed after analysis of the 63 fire deaths in Lancashire from April 2000 to March 2003.

Firefighters will use the information to ensure their free home safety checks, in which they fit smoke alarms, are being targeted at 'high risk' groups of people.

The study revealed that most incidents happened in the living rooms of terrace houses. People aged over 60 were the most common victims with 17 deaths, 11 of those being women.

Cigarettes started 16 of the fires with only three incidents caused by an electrical fault. Other causes included chip pans, candles and electric blankets being left on.

Twenty-nine of the homes did not have a smoke alarm, 10 more were faulty, eight because they had no batteries in them.

Most fires happened on Sundays, with the period from April to September being the busiest for firefighters. The majority of deaths happened between midnight and 6am.

About 50 of the 63 deaths could have been prevented by taking fire safety advice, the study concluded. John Taylor, press officer for the county's fire service said: "The lesson still has to get across . The target group is clearly older people.

"The psychology of that is sometimes elderly people don't always acknowledge their age and recognise that they have got slower and more frail. They think of themselves as in their 20s and able to get out if there was a fire.

"It is hard to get the community fire safety message across to them. We have got to be careful we don't express that by saying this is because you are old.

"We find it is easier to accept what we say if we don't patronise. Community fire safety is undoubtedly something that will get more resources in the future. Prevention is better than having to rescue people."

During the past three years there has been one fire death in both Burnley and the Ribble Valley, two in Rossendale, three in Pendle, four in Hyndburn and five in Blackburn.

Countywide, there were 21 deaths in 2000-01, 18 in 2001-02 and 24 in 2002-03.

The figures will be presented to the combined fire authority next Monday afternoon at County Hall, Preston. Community fire safety checks can be organised by calling a fire station.