U.S. Department of Homeland Security • U.S. Fire Administration

National Fire Data Center • Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727

www.usfa.dhs.gov/statistics/reports/index.shtm

Topical Fire Report Series Volume 10, Issue 5 / February 2010

Winter Residential Building Fires 

These topical reports are designed to 

explore facets of the U.S. fire problem as 

depicted through data collected in the U.S. 

Fire Administration’s (USFA’s) National Fire 

Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). Each 

topical report briefly addresses the nature 

of the specific fire or fire-related topic, highlights important findings from the data, and 

may suggest other resources to consider for 

further information. Also included are recent 

examples of fire incidents that demonstrate 

some of the issues addressed in the report or 

that put the report topic in context.

Findings

■ Winter residential building fires result in an estimated average of approximately 945 deaths, 

3,825 injuries, and $1,708,000,000 in property loss each year.

■ Approximately half of winter residential building fires are small, confined fires. 

■ Winter residential building fires occur mainly in the early evening hours, peaking from 5 to 8 

p.m.

■ Cooking is the leading cause of all winter residential building fires (36 percent) as well as 

confined winter residential building fires (61 percent). Electrical malfunction is the leading 

cause of nonconfined winter residential building fires (16 percent).

■ Twenty-two percent of all winter residential building fires and 43 percent of nonconfined 

winter residential building fires extend beyond the room of origin.

■ The kitchen or other cooking area is the most prevalent area of fire origin for nonconfined 

winter residential building fires (20 percent).

■ “Heat from powered equipment” is the leading heat source category for nonconfined winter 

residential building fires (51 percent).

■ Thirty-three percent of items first ignited in nonconfined winter residential building fires fall 

under the “structural component, finish” category.

From 2005 to 2007, an estimated 108,400 winter residential building fires occurred annually in the 

United States.1, 2, 3 These fires result in an estimated 

average of approximately 945 deaths, 3,825 injuries, 

and $1,708,000,000 in property loss each year. This 

report addresses the characteristics of winter residential building fires reported to the National Fire Incident 

Reporting System (NFIRS) between 2005 and 2007. 

Winter residential building fires are defined as those 

residential building fires that occur in the months of 

January, February, and March.

Type of Fire

Building fires consist of two major categories of 

incidents: fires that are confined to specific types of 

equipment or objects (confined fires) and those that 

are not (nonconfined fires). Confined building fires are 

small fire incidents that are limited in scope, confined 

to noncombustible containers, rarely result in serious 

injury or large content losses, and are expected to have 

no significant accompanying property losses due to 

flame damage.4

 As shown in Table 1, half (50 percent) 

of winter residential building fires are nonconfined 

and the other half (50 percent) are confined.

Table 1. Winter Residential Building Fires 

by Type of Incident (2005–2007) 

Incident Type Percent

Nonconfined fires 50.3

Confined fires 49.7

Cooking fire, confined to container 28.2

Chimney or flue fire, confined to chimney or flue 11.7

Incinerator overload or malfunction, fire confined 0.2

Fuel burner/boiler malfunction, fire confined 5.2

Commercial compactor fire, confined to rubbish 0.4

Trash or rubbish fire, contained 4.0

Total 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Loss Measures

Table 2 presents losses, averaged over this 3-year 

period, of reported residential building fires and winter residential building fires.5

continued on next page
TFRS Volume 10, Issue 5/Winter Residential Building Fires Page 2

Table 2. Loss Measures for Winter Residential Building Fires (3-year average, 2005–2007)

Measure Residential Building 

Fires

Winter Residential 

Building Fires

Confined Winter 

Residential Building 

Fires

Nonconfined Winter 

Residential Building Fires

Average Loss:

Fatalities/1,000 Fires 5.4 6.6 0.0 13.2

Injuries/1,000 Fires 28.1 29.1 6.7 51.2

Dollar Loss/Fire $14,560 $13,100 $170 $25,860

Source: NFIRS 5.0. 

Notes: 1) One death in a confined fire was reported to NFIRS during 2005 to 2007; the resulting loss of 0.0 fatalities per 1,000 fires reflects only data reported to NFIRS.

2) Average loss for fatalities and injuries is computed per 1,000 fires; average dollar loss is computed per fire and is rounded to the nearest $10.

Property Use

Table 3 presents the percentage distribution of property use for all winter residential building fires, 

confined winter residential building fires, and nonconfined winter residential building fires. Fires in 

one- and two-family dwellings account for 67 percent of all winter residential building fires. Fires in 

these types of dwellings also account for 58 percent 

of confined winter residential building fires and 77 

percent of nonconfined winter residential building 

fires. Multifamily dwellings (apartments, rowhouses, 

town houses, condominiums, and tenements) account 

for 26 percent of all winter residential building fires, 

35 percent of confined winter residential fires, and 18 

percent of nonconfined winter residential building 

fires.

Table 3. Percentage Distribution of Property Use for Winter Residential Building Fires 

(3-year average, 2005–2007)

Property Use All Winter Residential 

Building Fires

Confined Winter Residential 

Building Fires

Nonconfined Winter Residential 

Building Fires

One- or two-family dwelling 67.4% 57.6% 77.0%

Multifamily dwelling 26.3% 35.1% 17.6%

Other residential buildings 6.3% 7.3% 5.4%

Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

When Winter Residential 

Building Fires Occur

As shown in Figure 1, winter residential building fires 

occur mainly in the early evening hours, peaking from 

5 to 8 p.m., and then decline throughout the night, 

reaching the lowest point during the early morning hours (4 to 6 a.m.). Fire incidence steadily rises 

again throughout the day until reaching its peak in the 

early evening hours. This 3-hour early evening period 

accounts for 21 percent of winter residential building 

fires.6
TFRS Volume 10, Issue 5/Winter Residential Building Fires Page 3

Figure 1. Winter Residential Building Fires by Time of Alarm (2005–2007)

Source: NFIRS 5.0. 

Figure 2 illustrates that, although it is at its highest in 

December at 10 percent, residential building fire incidence is collectively highest in the 3 winter months 

of January, February, and March. Fire incidence then 

declines reaching the lowest point in the summer 

months. 

3.0

2.2 2.2

3.2 3.2

4.1

4.9 5.0 5.1

6.2

7.0 7.3

5.9

5.0

4.0

2.1 1.9 1.9

Time of Alarm

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

Percent of Winter Residential Building Fires

11PM-Mid

10PM-11PM

9PM-10PM

1PM-2PM2PM-3PM3PM-4PM4PM-5PM5PM-6PM6PM-7PM7PM-8PM8PM-9PM

12PM-1PM

10AM-11AM

11AM-12PM

9AM-10AM

Mid-1AM

1AM-2AM2AM-3AM3AM-4AM4AM-5AM5AM-6AM6AM-7AM7AM-8AM8AM-9AM

2.5 2.7

3.6

4.6

5.5

6.7

Figure 2. Residential Building Fires by Month (2005–2007)

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

11.0

Percent of Residential Building Fires

November

December

October

September

August

July

April

May

June

March

February

January

9.8 10.1

7.4 7.0 7.0

8.2

9.0

Month of Year

9.1 9.1

8.3

7.8

7.1

Source: NFIRS 5.0.
TFRS Volume 10, Issue 5/Winter Residential Building Fires Page 4

Causes of Winter Residential 

Building Fires

As shown in Figure 3, when compared to all residential building fires, the leading causes of winter residential building fires are the same. While cooking is 

the leading cause of all residential building fires at 42 

percent, cooking is also the leading cause of winter 

residential building fires at 36 percent. Nearly all of the 

winter residential building cooking fires (94 percent) 

are small, confined fires with limited damage. The next 

four causes combined account for 42 percent of winter 

residential building fires: heating fires (23 percent), 

fires caused by electrical malfunction (7 percent), 

unintentional or careless fires (6 percent), and open 

flame fires (6 percent).7

Figure 3. Causes of Residential Building Fires versus Winter Residential Building Fires 

(2005–2007, Unknowns Apportioned)

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0

Investigation with Arson Module

Other Unintentional, Careless

Equipment Misoperation, Failure

Exposure

Natural

Other Equipment

Other Heat

Open Flame

Appliances

Electrical Malfunction

Cooking

Heating

Smoking

Playing with Heat Source

Intentional

All Residential Building Fires

Winter Residential Building Fires

Percent of Fires

Causes

4.0

4.8

0.8

0.8

2.2

2.4

23.0

14.2

36.0

41.7

7.2

7.7

2.1

2.5

6.0

5.7

4.3

4.2

1.3

1.3

0.8

1.8

1.8

2.2

3.9

3.9

6.1

6.2

0.8

0.9

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.
TFRS Volume 10, Issue 5/Winter Residential Building Fires Page 5

Fire Spread in Winter 

Residential Buildings

Figure 4 shows the fire spread in winter residential building fires. The majority of winter residential 

building fires, 63 percent, are limited to the object of 

fire origin. Sixteen percent of the winter residential 

building fires are confined to the room of origin, and 

an additional 15 percent are confined to the building 

of origin. Twenty-two percent of winter residential 

building fires extend beyond the room of origin. The 

leading causes of these larger fires are electrical malfunction, other unintentional (carelessness), and open 

flame.

Figure 4. Extent of Fire Spread in Winter Residential Building Fires (2005–2007)

Percent of Winter Residential Building Fires

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0

Beyond building

 of origin

Confined to building

 of origin

Confined to floor

 of origin

Confined to room

 of origin

Confined to object

of origin

2.5

14.9

4.2

15.5

63.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note: Total may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

Causes of Confined Winter Residential 

Building Fires

Confined fires are allowed abbreviated NFIRS reporting 

and many reporting details of the fire are not required 

and not reported. However, it is known that cooking 

(61 percent) and heating (36 percent) are the top two 

causes of confined winter residential building fires 

accounting for a total of 97 percent of all these types 

of fires. 

Nonconfined Fires

The next sections of this report address nonconfined 

winter residential building fires, where detailed fire 

data are available.

Causes of Nonconfined Winter Residential 

Building Fires

The top causes for nonconfined winter residential 

building fires are different than those of all winter residential building fires and confined winter residential 

building fires. Sixteen percent of nonconfined winter 

residential building fires are caused by electrical malfunction. The next two leading causes of these types of 

fires are other unintentional, careless at 14 percent and 

open flame at 13 percent (Figure 5). 
TFRS Volume 10, Issue 5/Winter Residential Building Fires Page 6

Figure 5. Causes of Nonconfined Winter Residential Building Fires 

(2005–2007, Unknowns Apportioned)

0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0 18.0

Investigation with Arson Module

Other Unintentional, Careless

Equipment Misoperation, Failure

Exposure

Natural

Other Equipment

Other Heat

Open Flame

Appliances

Electrical Malfunction

Cooking

Heating

Smoking

Playing with Heat Source

Intentional

Percent of Nonconfined Winter Residential Building Fires

Causes

8.0

1.6

4.6

6.2

4.9

4.7

16.1

13.3

9.5

1.3

1.7

4.0

8.7

13.7

1.7

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Where Nonconfined Winter Residential 

Building Fires Start (Area of Fire Origin)

Twenty percent of nonconfined winter residential 

building fires start in the kitchens or cooking areas 

(Table 4). Fires in bedrooms (15 percent) and common rooms (7 percent) are the next leading areas of 

fire origin. Less common are fires that start in laundry 

areas (5 percent) and function areas (5 percent).

Note that these areas of fire origin do not include areas 

associated with confined fires. As confined cooking 

fires are a substantial percentage of winter residential 

building fires, it is likely that the kitchen is, by far, the 

leading area of fire origin for all winter residential 

building fires.
TFRS Volume 10, Issue 5/Winter Residential Building Fires Page 7

Table 4. Leading Areas of Fire Origin in Nonconfined Winter Residential Building Fires 

(2005–2007)

Areas of Fire Origin Percent (Unknowns Apportioned)

Cooking area, kitchen 20.4

Bedroom 14.8

Common room, den, family room, living room, lounge 7.2

Laundry area 5.0

Function areas, other 4.8

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

How Nonconfined Winter Residential 

Building Fires Start (Heat Source)

Figure 6 shows sources of heat categories in nonconfined winter residential building fires. The “heat from 

powered equipment” category accounts for 51 percent 

of nonconfined winter residential building fires where 

the heat source was determined. Within that category, 

radiated or conducted heat from operating equipment 

accounts for 17 percent of all fires, electrical arcing 

accounts for 14 percent of all fires, and heat from 

other powered equipment accounts for 14 percent of 

all nonconfined winter residential building fires. 

The “heat from open flame or smoking materials” category accounts for 20 percent of nonconfined winter 

residential building fires where the heat source was 

determined. This category includes candles, cigarettes, 

lighters, and matches. The third largest category pertains to “hot or smoldering objects” (16 percent). This 

category includes hot embers or ashes, molten, hot 

material, and heat sparked from friction.

Figure 6. Sources of Heat in Nonconfined Winter Residential Building Fires

by Major Category (2005–2007)

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0

Undetermined

Explosives, fireworks

Chemical, natural heat source

Heat spread from another fire

Other heat source

Hot or smoldering object

Heat from open flame

 or smoking materials

Heat from powered equipment

Percent of all nonconfined winter 

residential building fires

Percent of nonconfined winter 

residential building fires with 

heat sources determined

50.8

36.1

19.8

14.1

15.8

11.2

7.7

5.5

4.0

2.8

1.1

0.8

0.8

0.5

29.1

Percent of Nonconfined Winter Residential Building Fires

Source: NFIRS 5.0.
TFRS Volume 10, Issue 5/Winter Residential Building Fires Page 8

What Ignites First in Nonconfined Winter 

Residential Building Fires

Thirty-three percent of the nonconfined winter residential building fires with the item first ignited determined fall under the “structural component, finish” 

category (Figure 7). This category includes exterior 

roof covering and trim, floor covering (rug, carpet, or 

mat), and interior wall and ceiling covering. The second leading category, “general materials,” accounts for 

16 percent of nonconfined winter residential building 

fires, and third is “soft goods, wearing apparel” (14 

percent). 

Structural member or framing (11 percent), cooking materials (10 percent), and electrical wire, cable 

insulation (7 percent) are the specific items most often 

first ignited in nonconfined winter residential building 

fires.

Figure 7. Item First Ignited in Nonconfined Winter Residential Building Fires

by Major Category (2005–2007)

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0

Undetermined

Adornment, recreational

 material, signs

Storage supplies

Liquids, piping, filters

Other items

Organic materials

Furniture, utensils

Soft goods, wearing apparel

General materials

Structural component, finish

Percent of all nonconfined winter 

residential building fires

Percent of nonconfined winter 

residential building fires with 

item first ignited determined

33.1

23.1

14.1

9.9

15.6

10.9

12.9

9.0

12.1

8.5

5.2

3.6

2.1

1.5

3.8

2.7

1.0

0.7

30.1

Percent of Nonconfined Winter Residential Building Fires

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Fire Spread in Nonconfined Winter 

Residential Building Fires

Figure 8 shows the fire spread in nonconfined winter 

residential building fires. Thirty percent of nonconfined 

winter residential building fires are confined to the 

room of origin and another 30 percent are confined to 

the building of origin. In 27 percent of nonconfined 

winter residential building fires, the fire is confined to 

the object of origin. Forty-three percent of nonconfined winter residential building fires extend beyond 

the room of origin. The leading causes of these larger 

fires are electrical malfunction, other unintentional 

(carelessness), and open flame.
TFRS Volume 10, Issue 5/Winter Residential Building Fires Page 9

Figure 8. Extent of Fire Spread in Nonconfined Winter Residential Building Fires 

(2005–2007)

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Factors Contributing to Ignition 

in Nonconfined Winter Residential 

Building Fires

Table 5 shows the factors contributing to ignition categories of nonconfined winter residential building fires. 

The leading category of factors contributing to ignition 

is the “misuse of material or product” (39 percent). 

Within this category, heat source too close to combustible materials and abandoned or discarded materials 

account for 16 percent and 10 percent of all nonconfined winter residential building fires, respectively. 

The “electrical failure or malfunction” category is 

a contributing factor in 22 percent of nonconfined 

winter residential building fires. The “operational deficiency” and “fire spread or control” categories are the 

third and fourth leading factors at 16 and 9 percent, 

respectively. 

Percent of Nonconfined Winter Residential Building Fires

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0

Beyond building

 of origin

Confined to building

 of origin

Confined to floor

 of origin

Confined to room

 of origin

Confined to object

of origin

4.9

29.6

8.3

30.1

27.1

Table 5. Factors Contributing to Ignition for Nonconfined Winter Residential Building Fires 

by Major Category (Where Factors Contributing to Ignition are Specified, 2005–2007)

Factors Contributing to Ignition Categories Percent of Nonconfined Winter Residential Building Fires

Misuse of material or product 38.8

Electrical failure, malfunction 22.0

Operational deficiency 16.3

Fire spread or control 8.6

Mechanical failure, malfunction 8.5

Other factors contributing to ignition 6.5

Design, manufacture, installation deficiency 3.3

Natural condition 1.8

Source: NFIRS 5.0. 

Notes: 1) Includes only incidents where factors that contributed to the ignition of the fire were specified.

2) Multiple factors contributing to fire ignition may be noted for each incident; total will exceed 100 percent. 
TFRS Volume 10, Issue 5/Winter Residential Building Fires Page 10

Suppression/Alerting Systems in Winter 

Residential Building Fires

Smoke alarm data are available for both confined and 

nonconfined fires although for confined fires, the data 

are very limited in scope. Automatic Extinguishing 

System (AES) data are only available for nonconfined 

fires.

Smoke alarms were present in 45 percent of nonconfined winter residential building fires and were known 

to have operated in 25 percent of nonconfined winter 

residential building fires (Table 6). In 26 percent of 

nonconfined winter residential building fires, there 

were no smoke alarms present. In another 29 percent 

of these fires, firefighters were unable to determine if a 

smoke alarm was present. In 6 percent of nonconfined 

winter residential building fires, the alarm failed to 

operate.

Smoke alarms operated and alerted occupants in 37 

percent of confined winter residential building fires 

(Table 7). In 19 percent of these confined fires, the 

occupants were not alerted by the smoke alarm.8

 In 

44 percent of confined winter residential building 

fires, the smoke alarm effectiveness was unknown. 

Note that the data presented in Tables 6 and 7 are the 

raw counts from the NFIRS data set and not scaled to 

national estimates of smoke alarms in winter residential building fires.

Table 6. NFIRS Smoke Alarm Data for Nonconfined Winter Residential Building Fires 

(NFIRS, 2005-2007)

Presence of 

Smoke Alarms Smoke Alarm Operational Status Smoke Alarm Effectiveness Count Percent

Present

Fire too small to activate smoke alarm 5,037 5.0

Smoke alarm operated

Smoke alarm alerted occupants, occupants responded 18,217 18.3

Smoke alarm alerted occupants, occupants failed to respond 783 0.8

No occupants 3,074 3.1

Smoke alarm failed to alert occupants 636 0.6

Undetermined 2,164 2.2

Smoke alarm failed to operate 6,437 6.4

Undetermined 8,042 8.1

None present 26,130 26.2

Undetermined 29,281 29.3

Null/Blank 19 0.0

Total Incidents 99,820 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes: The data presented in this table are raw data counts from the NFIRS data set. They do not represent national estimates of smoke alarms in nonconfined winter residential building fires. They are presented for 

informational purposes. 

Table 7. NFIRS Smoke Alarm Data for Confined Winter Residential Building Fires

(NFIRS, 2005-2007)

Smoke Alarm Effectiveness Count Percent

Smoke alarm alerted occupants 36,655 37.2

Smoke alarm did not alert occupants 18,459 18.7

Unknown 43,435 44.1

Null/Blank 1 0.0

Total Incidents 98,550 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes: The data presented in this table are raw data counts from the NFIRS data set. They do not represent national estimates of smoke alarms in confined winter residential building fires. They are presented for 

informational purposes. 
TFRS Volume 10, Issue 5/Winter Residential Building Fires Page 11

Overall, full or partial AESs were present in 3 percent of nonconfined winter residential building fires (Table 8). 

The lack of AESs is not unexpected as only 3 percent of all nonconfined residential building fires have an AES 

present.

Table 8. NFIRS Automatic Extinguishing System (AES) Data for Nonconfined Winter 

Residential Building Fires (2005-2007)

AES Presence Count Percent

AES present 3,175 3.2

Partial system present 29 0.0

AES not present 89,528 89.7

Unknown 7,069 7.1

Null/Blank 19 0.0

Total Incidents 99,820 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes: The data presented in this table are raw data counts from the NFIRS data set. They do not represent national estimates of AESs in nonconfined winter residential building fires. They are presented for informational purposes. 

Examples

The following are some recent examples of winter residential building fires reported by the media in January 

2010:

•	 Firefighters responded to a residential building 

fire in Manville, NJ, where they found a victim in 

the living room on the second floor. The victim 

was later pronounced dead and the accidental fire 

appears to have started in the kitchen with a deep 

fryer that was being used on top of a gas-burning 

stove.9

 

•	 Upon arrival at a mobile home fire in Shreveport, 

LA, firefighters found the home fully involved in 

flames. The home had no utilities connected and 

the resident, who perished in the fire, was using 

a propane cooking burner for heat that ignited 

nearby combustible materials.10 

•	 A man from Columbus County, NC, lost his life 

after an unattended cooking fire spread at his home. 

A deputy fire marshal said it looked like a pot left 

on the stove was the cause of the fire. No other 

injuries resulted from the blaze.11

•	 A man died in a fire that fully engulfed his Rock 

Hill, SC, home. The man became trapped inside 

during the fire and died of smoke inhalation. 

Investigators say an oil space heater in the living 

room started the flames. Damage was estimated 

at $50,000 in property loss and another $10,000 

for contents. In addition, about 75 percent of the 

home was destroyed by flames, smoke, and water 

damage.12 

•	 An elderly man was killed as a result of burns he 

sustained during a fire in a high-rise apartment 

building in Dayton, OH. According to fire officials, 

the man was cooking when his clothes caught on 

fire. Other residents were evacuated from the apartment building, and no one else was injured during 

the fire.13

Conclusion

Approximately half of winter residential building fires 

are small incidents that are confined to noncombustible containers. These confined fires are small fire 

incidents that are limited in scope, confined to noncombustible containers, rarely result in serious injury 

or large content losses, and are expected to have no 

significant accompanying property losses due to flame 

damage. However, the other half of winter residential 

building fires are not confined and, on average, result 

in approximately twice the number of fatalities and 

injuries than all residential building fires. As a result, 

like at all other times of the year, it is important each 

household diligently practice fire safety throughout 

the winter season. Practicing fire safety can lessen or 

eliminate fires and their resultant injuries, deaths, and 

property loss. For winter fire prevention and home fire 

safety, please visit http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-249-508.pdf. In addition, 

for cooking fire safety tips which should be practiced 

all year round, please visit http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/

citizens/all_citizens/home_fire_prev/cooking.shtm.
TFRS Volume 10, Issue 5/Winter Residential Building Fires Page 12

NFIRS Data Specifications for Winter Residential Building Fires

Data for this report were extracted from the NFIRS annual Public Data Release (PDR) files for 2005, 2006, and 

2007. Only version 5.0 data were extracted.

Winter residential building fires were defined as:

•	 Incident types 111 to 123:

Incident Type Description

111 Building fire

112 Fires in structure other than in a building

113 Cooking fire, confined to container

114 Chimney or flue fire, confined to chimney or flue

115 Incinerator overload or malfunction, fire confined

116 Fuel burner/boiler malfunction, fire confined

117 Commercial compactor fire, confined to rubbish

118 Trash or rubbish fire, contained

120 Fire in mobile property used as a fixed structure, other

121 Fire in mobile home used as fixed residence

122 Fire in motor home, camper, recreational vehicle

123 Fire in portable building, fixed location

Notes: Incident types 113 to 118 do not specify if the structure is a building. Incident type 112 is included as previous analyses have shown 

that incident types 111 and 112 are used interchangeably.

•	 Residential building fires that occur in the 3 months 

of January, February, and March.

•	 Aid types 3 (mutual aid given) and 4 (automatic 

aid given) were excluded to avoid double counting 

of incidents.

•	 Structure type:

– 1 - Enclosed building,

– 2 - Fixed portable or mobile structure, and

– Structure type not specified (null entry).

To request additional information or to comment on 

this report, visit http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/applications/feedback/index.jsp

Notes: 

1 National estimates are based on 2005-2007 native version 5.0 data from the National Fire Incident Reporting 

System (NFIRS) and residential structure fire loss estimates from the National Fire Protection Association’s 

(NFPA’s) annual surveys of fire loss. Fires are rounded to the nearest 100, deaths to the nearest 5, injuries to the 

nearest 25, and loss to the nearest $million. 

2 In NFIRS, version 5.0, a structure is a constructed item of which a building is one type. In previous versions of 

NFIRS, the term “residential structure” commonly referred to buildings where people live. To coincide with this 

concept, the definition of a residential structure fire for NFIRS 5.0 has, therefore, changed to include only those 

fires where the NFIRS 5.0 structure type is 1 or 2 (enclosed building and fixed portable or mobile structure) with 

a residential property use. Such fires are referred to as “residential buildings” to distinguish these buildings from 

other structures on residential properties that may include fences, sheds, and other uninhabitable structures. In 

addition, incidents that have a residential property use, but do not have a structure type specified are presumed to 

be buildings. 

3 Residential buildings include, but are not limited to, one- or two-family dwellings, multifamily dwellings, 

boarding houses or residential hotels, commercial hotels, college dormitories, and sorority/fraternity houses.
TFRS Volume 10, Issue 5/Winter Residential Building Fires Page 13

4 NFIRS distinguishes between “content” and “property” loss. Content loss includes loss to the contents of a 

structure due to damage by fire, smoke, water, and overhaul. Property loss includes losses to the structure itself or 

to the property itself. Total loss is the sum of the content loss and the property loss. For confined fires, the expectation is that the fire did not spread beyond the container (or rubbish for incident type 118) and hence, there was 

no property damage (damage to the structure itself) from the flames. There could be, however, property damage as 

a result of smoke, water, and overhaul.

5 The average fire death and fire injury loss rates computed from the national estimates will not agree with average 

fire death and fire injury loss rates computed from NFIRS data alone. The fire death rate computed from national 

estimates would be (1000*(945/108,400)) = 8.7 deaths per 1,000 winter residential building fires and the fire 

injury rate would be (1000*(3,825/108,400)) = 35.3 injuries per 1,000 winter residential building fires. 

6 For the purposes of this report, the time of the fire alarm is used as an approximation for the general time the 

fire started. However, in NFIRS, it is the time the fire was reported to the fire department. 

7 The USFA structure fire cause hierarchy was used to determine the cause of winter residential building fire incidents: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/nfirs/tools/fire_cause_category_matrix.shtm.

8 In confined fires, the entry “smoke alarm did not alert occupants” can mean: no smoke alarm was present, the 

smoke alarm was present but did not operate, or the smoke alarm was present and operated but the occupant was 

already aware of the fire.

9 Jennifer Golson and Tom Haydon, “Fire victim’s death tears heart of Manville,” www.nj.com, January 3, 2010. 

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-15/1262481905152500.xml&coll=1 (accessed 

January 26, 2010).

10 H. Butch Browing, “Louisiana – three fires in the state kill three people,” blog.drivinglaws.com, January 9, 2010. 

http://blog.drivinglaws.org/2010/01/09/louisiana-three-fires-in-the-state-kill-three-people/ (accessed January 

26, 2010).

11 Scott Saxton, “Stove fire kills man from Columbus County,” www.wect.com, January 15, 2010. http://www.

wect.com/Global/story.asp?S=11831742 (accessed January 26, 2010).

12 Shannon Greene and Christy Mullins, “Former pastor dies in Rock Hill house fire,” www.heraldonline.com, 

January 15, 2010. http://www.heraldonline.com/120/story/1870279.html (accessed January 26, 2010).

13 “Victim identified in fatal fire,” www.whiotv.com, January 21, 2010. http://www.whiotv.com/

news/22305129/detail.html (accessed January 26, 2010).