PRIME Minister Gordon Brown has urged all householders to fit smoke alarms in the wake of the Torbay fire that killed two youngsters.

Every fire death is an 'absolute tragedy' and especially 'painful' when children are involved, he told the Herald Express.

Expressing his 'deepest sympathies' to families who had lost loved ones, the PM said one death which could have been prevented was one too many.

And while the number of alarms being fitted in homes has risen significantly over the last decades, he insisted the government was not complacent.

In addition to ongoing awareness campaigns, Mr Brown expressed confidence that ministers would consider proposals recently made by Torbay MP Adrian Sanders at Westminster to improve domestic fire safety, following the Ellacombe fatalities.

These include carrying out a smoke alarm check when undertaking statutory annual gas inspections in properties.

It follows the deaths of Stephanie Wojak, 15, and eight-year-old Ben McAuliffe.

The house in Ellacombe Church Road where the children lived with Gill and Mike Wojak and their son Ricky did not have a smoke alarm.

It was later revealed 25 per cent of Riviera Housing Trust homes, some 690 properties, did not have fire alarms at the time.

It had planned to install smoke detectors in the remaining properties as part of a major home improvement programme, which it brought forward immediately.

The tragedy led to calls to make smoke alarms compulsory in rented properties.

The Prime Minister had been due to be in Devon today for a regional cabinet meeting, but this was cancelled due to the weather according to Downing Street.

But in an interview with the Herald Express, Mr Brown said: "Every death from fire is an absolute tragedy and it is particularly painful when children are involved.

"Every family which has lost loved ones in this way has my deepest sympathies.

"So I would strongly encourage everyone — landlords, homeowners and businesses alike — to fit smoke alarms. Smoke alarms save lives."

He added: "Thanks to public information campaigns and millions of pounds of investment to help fire and rescue services buy and install smoke alarms in homes, and carry out free Home Fire Safety checks, we are making progress.

"The number of homes with alarms has risen from less than one in 10 in 1987 to more than eight out of 10 today.

"But we are not complacent. One death which could have been prevented by a smoke alarm is one too many.

"That's why we are continuing to raise awareness through the ongoing Fire Kills campaign and why we are still investing to provide fire safety checks.

"And I am sure the Fire Minister, Shahid Malik, will look at some of the proposals put forward recently to improve things further.

"I would urge anyone without a smoke alarm to get in touch with their local fire service for a free Home Fire Safety Check, they will even install smoke alarms for free for some of the most vulnerable people," added Mr Brown.