NFPA Journal - Spring 2022 - 71

Fires started by smoking
materials have been the
leading cause or one of the
leading causes of home fire
fatalities for decades. The
5% of home fires started
by smoking materials from
2015 to 2019 caused 26%
of the fire deaths and 9% of
deaths. The 6% that started
in the bedroom and 3%
that began in the living
room each caused 25% of
home fire deaths.
Upholstered furniture was
first ignited in only 1% of
reported home fires, yet
REPORT SUMMARY
Home Structure Fires
By Marty Ahrens and Radhika Maheshwari
M
ore than one-quarter (26 percent) of the reported
fires during the period 2015-2019 were home structure
fires. In addition, three-quarters of the civilian fire
deaths (75 percent) and almost three-quarters of the
reported civilian fire injuries (72 percent) were caused
by these incidents.
During this five-year period, US fire departments responded to an
estimated average of 346,800 home structure fires per year. These
fires caused an annual average of 2,620 civilian deaths, 11,070 civilian
fire injuries, and $7.3 billion in direct property damage.
Most home fires and fire casualties resulted from one of five
causes: cooking, heating equipment, electrical distribution and
lighting equipment, intentional fire setting, and smoking materials.
Cooking was the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.
Smoking materials caused the greatest number of home fire deaths.
KEY
FINDINGS
NFPA.ORG/
HOMEFIRES
Read the complete
report on home
structure fires.
Between 2015 and 2019,
69% of all reported home
fires occurred in one- or
two-family homes, including
manufactured homes.
These fires caused 85% of
the home fire deaths, 65%
of the home fire injuries,
and 79% of the direct
property damage. The
remainder were in apartments
or other multifamily
homes.
Reported home fires
peaked from 5-8 p.m.,
when many people are
coming home from work,
preparing dinner, or engaging
in other household
activities. Only one-fifth
(19%) of the fires were
reported between 11 p.m.
and 7 a.m., but these fires
caused half of the home
fire deaths (49%).
While cooking was the
leading cause of home
fires (49%) and fire
injuries (42%), and the
second-leading cause of
home fire deaths (20%),
it ranked lower on casualties
per 1,000 reported
fires (3 deaths and 28 injuries)
and was last among
the major causes for average
loss per reported fire
($7,100).
the injuries. The 37 deaths
and 63 injuries per 1,000
reported fires caused by
smoking materials were
nearly five times the rate
of deaths (8) and twice
the rate of injuries (32) per
1,000 reported home fires
overall.
Heating equipment
was the second-leading
cause of home fires and
home fire injuries and the
third-leading cause of
home fire deaths. Heating
equipment was the leading
cause of fire deaths in oneor
two-family homes.
Electrical distribution or
lighting equipment was
involved in 9% of home
fires, 16% of home fire
deaths, and 10% of related
injuries. These fires were
the leading cause of home
fire property damage (18%).
The 44% of home fires
that began in the kitchen
caused 18% of home fire
these incidents caused 16%
of the deaths associated
with these fires. The 2%
of fires that began with
mattresses or bedding
caused 12% of the deaths.
The death rate per 1,000
reported home fires that
began with the ignition
of either upholstered furniture
or mattresses and
bedding from 2015 to 2019
was more than double the
rate from 1980 to 1984.
Smoke alarms were present
in 74% of reported
home fires. Smoke alarms
operated in 89% of the fires
in which they were present
and the fire was considered
large enough to activate
them. However, almost
three out of every five
home fire deaths resulted
from fires in homes with
no working smoke alarms,
either because no smoke
alarm was present (41%) or
because at least one alarm
was present but none operated
(16%).
MARTY AHRENS is manager of fire analysis services at NFPA.
RADHIKA MAHESHWARI is a data scientist at NFPA.
NFPA .ORG/JOURNAL * NFPA JOURNAL | 71
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NFPA Journal - Spring 2022

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