Top causes of home fires

11/8/2019 (Permalink)

Fires can happen quickly in any part of your home, including this garage.

Now that we're in the fall season, and the holidays fast approaching, chances increase that you may suffer a fire damage inside your home.  Kitchen fires are more prevalent because of more cooking for the holidays.  Heating issues also further chances of fires.

Let's take a look at some of the major causes of fires inside homes:

• Cooking.  Cooking is far and away the most common cause of home fires in the US.  It accounts for 48%* of all fires, and averages about 172,000* fires each year.  Unattended cooking, having flammable materials too close to stoves or ovens are just a sample of why fires get started in the kitchen.
• Heating.  Space heaters or fireplaces account for about 52,000* home fires each year.  Having items too close to the heat source is just one way this may happen.
• Electrical.  Accounting for an average of 35,100* home fires per year.  Overloaded outlets or frayed extension cords are just two of the main culprits.
• Smoking.  Falling asleep while smoking is the main cause of the 18,100* home fires in an average year.
• Candles.  8,200* yearly fires is a comparatively small number compared to the others in this list, but it can be the most easily preventable as well.  Candles being knocked over, or items too close to the flame are major causes of this type of fire.

Also, 58%* of all fire injuries are caused by people either fighting the fire outright, or trying to enter/exit a fire for a rescue.  Have a plan, and practice it with children, to know what to do if there is a fire in your home.

* = NFPA statistics.