Facts + Statistics: Fire

 

Fire losses

Great strides have been made in constructing fire-resistant buildings and improving fire-suppression techniques, both of which have reduced the incidence of fire. However, in terms of property losses, these advances have been somewhat offset by increases in the number and value of buildings.

In 2020, a fire department responded to a fire on average every 23 seconds in the United States, according to the National Fire Protection Association. A home fire was reported every 89 seconds, a home fire death occurred every three hours and 24 minutes, and a home fire injury occurred every 46 minutes.

Fire losses as shown in the chart below for homeowners, commercial multiple peril and fire insurance fell 32.7 percent in 2019, compared with 2018 and rose 2.6 percent in 2020. In 2017 and 2018 fire losses rose 53.5 percent and 28.7 percent, respectively, reflecting high losses from wildfires.

 

Fire Losses In The United States, By Line Of Insurance, 2020 (1)

 

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(1) Estimated. Includes FAIR plan and uninsured losses.

Source: ISO®, a Verisk Analytics® business.

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Structure fires

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that there were 490,500 structure fires in the United States in 2020, up 1.9 percent from 2019. Structure fires caused $12.1 billion in property damage in 2020, down 1.6 percent from $12.3 billion in 2019. The average loss for these structure fires was $24,669, down 3.4 percent from 2019. Vehicle, outside fires and fires in the California wildland-urban interface caused another $9.8 billion in property damage, bringing total property losses from fires to $21.9 billion.

Public assembly fires include fires in eating and drinking places and other entertainment venues, houses of worship and other places where people congregate. There are approximately 7,410 structure fires in eating and drinking establishments each year, according to a NFPA report based on data between 2010 and 2014.

According to the NFPA, fires in nightclubs are among the most deadly public occupancy fires, because they contain a large number of people in one main space. The deadliest nightclub fire in world history was the 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston, Massachusetts which claimed 492 lives followed by a fire at a disco/dance hall in Luoyang, China in December, 2000 that claimed 309 lives. A January, 2013 fire at the KISS night club in Brazil ranked third, claiming 242 lives. The 2003 Station Fire in Rhode Island claimed 100 lives, and ranks as number ten.

 

Large loss fires

March 25, 2011, marked the 100-year anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. The blaze that swept through a New York City sweatshop killing 146 garment workers ushered in a new era of fire safety in the American workplace, according to the National Fire Protection Association. The September 11, 2001, World Trade Center conflagration was the deadliest, as well as the most costly, building fire in U.S. history.

 

Holiday fire losses

Fireworks

• Fireworks caused an estimated 19,500 fires in 2018, including 1,900 structure fires, 500 vehicle fires, and 17,100 outside and other fires. Five deaths resulted from fireworks-started fires, along with 46 civilian injuries, and $105 million in direct property damage, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
• In 2018 hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,100 people for fireworks related injuries. Half of those injuries were to the extremities and 34 percent were to the eye or other parts of the head. Forty-four percent of the emergency department-treated injuries were burns. Children younger than 15 years of age accounted for more than one-third (36 percent) of the injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s 2018 Fireworks Annual Report.  

Home fires

• The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says Thanksgiving Day is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. In 2019, U.S. fire departments responded to about 1,400 cooking fires on Thanksgiving.

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• U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 200 home structure fires that began with Christmas trees from 2011 to 2015, according to a fact sheet from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
• On average, one out of every 32 reported home Christmas tree fires resulted in a death, compared to an average of one death per 143 reported home fires.
• Home Christmas tree fires caused an average of six civilian deaths, 16 civilian injuries and $14.8 million in direct property damage annually from 2011 to 2015.
• Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in two out of five (40 percent) of the home Christmas tree structure fires. About one-quarter (26 percent) occurred because some type of heat source was too close to the tree. Decorative lights were involved in 18 percent of these incidents. Eight percent of home Christmas tree fires were started by candles.
• The top three days for home candle fires were Christmas, New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve, according to another NFPA fact sheet.
• During 2011-2015, the NFPA estimates that 12 percent of December candle fires began with decorations. These fires caused an estimated average of one civilian death, 41 civilian injuries and $13.4 million in direct property damage per year, according to an NFPA fact sheet.
• Candle fires peaked in December (11%). January and November ranked second, each with 10% of home candle fires.
• During the five-year-period of 2011-2015, 8,690 home structure fires were caused by candles each year. They caused an annual average of 82 civilian fire deaths, 800 civilian fire injuries and $295 million in direct property damage.

For information about Holiday Safety and Preparedness, see our Pinterest board.