What are the top 5 causes of fires in the home?

5 Leading Causes of House Fires

  1. Cooking. Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires by far, accounting for 48% of all reported residential fires.
  2. Heating. Portable heaters are the second-leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.
  3. Electrical Fires.
  4. Smoking.
  5. Candles.

What are the top 5 causes of fires?

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has identified several of the most common causes of house fires. These include the following….Leading Causes of House Fires

  1. Appliances and Equipment.
  2. Candles.
  3. Holiday Decorations.
  4. Electrical Systems and Devices.
  5. Smoking.
  6. Chemicals and Gasses.
  7. Lightning.
  8. Children.

What causes house fires by percentage?

The top three causes of residential fires are cooking (50% of all fires), heating equipment (12.5%), and electrical malfunction (6.3%). A house fire happens every 87 seconds. Over 22% of non-residential fires are electrical fires, caused by short circuits or wiring problems.

What is the most common source of fire in the home?

Cooking Fires
Cooking Fires The #1 cause of house fires, accounting for 42% of reported incidents, is cooking. Open flames from the stove and intense heat in the oven easily result in a fire when unsupervised. Most often food or cooking tools catch fire and quickly lose control.

What are the 4 causes of fire?

According to the NFPA report, the top four causes of home fires and their resulting casualties are cooking, heating, electrical distribution and lighting equipment (installed wiring, outlets, switches, cords, plugs, power supplies, and lighting), and careless smoking.

What is the most common cause of house fires in the UK?

These statistics – as well as other research – demonstrate that cooking appliances are by far the most common cause of house fires in the UK. So, it’s important that you’ve got fire safety systems in place in and around your home’s kitchen, to keep your home and family safe.

Are house fires common?

According to statistics from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are more than 350,000 home fires each year in the U.S., leading to more than 2,600 deaths.

What are the ten leading causes of house fires?

Top 10 causes of house fires

  • 1] Cooking equipment. When a pot or pan overheats or splatters it can take seconds to cause a fire.
  • 2] Heating equipment.
  • 3] Careless smoking.
  • 4] Electrical equipment.
  • 5] Candles.
  • 6] Children playing with fire.
  • 7] Inadequate wiring.
  • 8] Flammable liquids.

What are the odds of a house fire?

The average household can expect five fires in the lifetime of its members. That’s a lot of fires. And while most are small, they collectively cost us $7.3 billion a year in property damage—plus there’s a 1 in 10 chance that fire will injure someone in your home.

How do houses catch fire?

Leaving things cooking in the kitchen unattended is a leading cause of house fires. Spills and open flames from stoves are also common causes of kitchen fires. Tools and food can catch on fire and spread quickly. If someone is not in the kitchen to extinguish the fire, it spreads rapidly through the house.

How do fires start in homes?

House fires can start from a lit cigarette or a lighter. Accidentally dropped cigarettes when someone falls asleep can quickly spread a fire through the entire house. Smoking outside of the home is the most effective way to reduce the risk of house fires caused by smoking materials.

What are the three factors causes fire?

Oxygen, heat, and fuel are frequently referred to as the “fire triangle.” Add in the fourth element, the chemical reaction, and you actually have a fire “tetrahedron.” The important thing to remember is: take any of these four things away, and you will not have a fire or the fire will be extinguished.