NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 73

ANALYSIS + RESEARCH NFPA REPORTS The most severe fire in 2015 occurred in New York, where firefighters responding to a structure fire at 12:23 a.m. arrived to find a 1,000-squarefoot (93-square-meter) three-story single-family home of unprotected wood-frame construction heavily involved in fire. A family of nine was at home when the fire broke out, and seven children were killed. The victims ranged in age from five to 16. After extinguishing the fire, firefighters removed the victims from bedrooms on the second floor. Firefighters believe a hot plate in the first-floor kitchen, which had been left on overnight for Sabbath observances, ignited nearby combustibles. The fire extended to cabinetry, walls, and throughout the kitchen, then spread throughout the dining room and a family room and into a hallway through open doors and up to the second-floor bedrooms. A smoke alarm located in the basement was ineffective due to its location. The mother attempted to rescue her children from the second-floor bedrooms but was unable to due to the smoke and heat conditions. She and one daughter escaped and were treated for smoke inhalation and burns. In 2015, firefighters in the United States responded to an estimated 1,345,500 fires. Of those, 501,500 occurred in structures: 388,000 in residential structures, and 113,500 in nonresidential structures. Additionally, 844,000 fires occurred outside of structures or involved vehicles. In all, these fires accounted for an estimated 3,280 deaths. Of those, 2,685 occurred in structures: 2,605 in residential structures, and 80 in nonresidential structures. Another 595 deaths occurred in vehicle or outside fires. The nine fires categorized as catastrophic multiple-death accounted for a fraction of a percent of the total estimated fires last year, and the 42 deaths represented 1.3 percent of the total fire deaths in the U.S. in 2015. For more information on fire loss in the U.S. last year, see the summary of the "Fire Loss in the United States During 2015" report on page 62. Catastrophic home fires There were four catastrophic multiple-death fires in homes in 2015, compared to 15 the year before. All four fires occurred in single-family homes. These fires killed 23 people, 65 fewer than in 2014. Of the 23 victims, four were children under the age of six, which was seven fewer than the year before. All four of the home fires broke out between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. One of the four fires was the seven-fatality incident described above. The second most deadly home fire killed six people in a three-story, 16,386-square-foot (1,522-square-meter) singlefamily home, constructed mostly of stone. There was an alarm system present. The alarms sounded and notified an offsite alarm company, which in turn notified the fire department. The fire originated under or near a 15-foot (4.6-meter) Fraser fir Christmas tree located in the great room. The tree had been inside the home for almost a month. A high-resistance connection inside a floor receptacle » OHIO Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths January 6, 4:17 a.m., 5 deaths Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, and Construction Type This was a one-story, 1,200-square-foot (112-squaremeter) single-family home of unprotected wood-frame construction and was occupied at the time the fire broke out. Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices No information was reported on detection or suppression equipment. Fire Origin and Path The only information reported is that the fire broke out in multiple areas with multiple heat sources. Contributing Factors and Victim Locations The five victims and two that were injured were reported to have been asleep at the time the fire broke out. The victims were aged 54, 43, 22, 22, and 1. KENTUCKY Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths October 20, 2:30 a.m., 5 deaths Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, and Construction Type This was a three-story, single-family home (referred to here as Building 1) of unprotected ordinary construction. The size of the home was not reported. This home was attached by an enclosed porch to a two-unit home (referred to here as Building 2). The construction and size of this building was not reported. Both homes were occupied at the time the fire broke out. Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices There were smoke alarms present in Building 1, the building of origin. It was reported they activated with a delay as they were not near the fire's point of origin. Five people died in a fire that destroyed this home in Ohio in January. The fire reportedly broke out in multiple areas and with multiple heat sources. Photograph: AP/Wide World SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 NFPA JOURNAL 73

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - September/October 2016