Compared to other common causes of death (see below), a home fire might not be one of the grim reaper’s favorites, but it still wreaks havoc in the United States every year. A house fire can go from a small spark to a raging inferno in under five minutes. In 2013, 1.24 million fires in the USA caused 3,240 deaths, almost 16,000 injuries, and $11.5 billion in damages, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. The National Interagency Fire Center — which compiles annual statistics for federal and state agencies — reports that more than 10 million acres were destroyed by wildfires in 2015. With warm weather and many fire-prone regions experiencing droughts, we take a closer look at home fire facts as well as the most common causes.
Top 3 Most Common Causes of Residential Fires:
- Cooking – 50%
- Heating – 12.5%
- Electrical – 6.3%
Fire Deaths Compared to Most Common Causes of Death:
- Fire – 3,275
- Heart Disease – 614,348
- Cancer – 591,699
- Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases – 147,101
- Accidents – 136,053
Sources:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention > www.cdc.gov
- National Interagency Fire Center > www.nifc.gov
- U.S. Fire Administration > www.usfa.fema.gov