SOME STATISTICAL EVIDENCE CONCERNING SERIOUS FIRES AT SEA IS DISCUSSED. THE AUTHORS SHOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED REDUCTION IN SERIOUS FIRES DURING RECENT YEARS, AT LEAST IN UNITED KINGDOM-REGISTERED SHIPS. SPECIAL ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO MACHINERY SPACE FIRES. THEIR UPWARD TREND IS NOW CLEAR ALSO IN TANKERS. SERIOUS MACHINERY SPACE FIRES NOW OUTNUMBER THOSE STARTING IN CARGO SPACES. THE SUBJECT OF FIRE CONTROL ONBOARD SHIPS IS LARGE AND MANY-SIDED. THIS PAPER IS SELECTIVE, WITH THE MAIN EMPHASIS ON MACHINERY SPACE FIRES AND THEIRCONTROL.