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U.S. Fire Administration/National Fire Data Center

The Fire Risk to Children


Topical Fire Research Series, Volume 4 – Issue 8 

December 2004 
T O P I C A L F I R E R E S E A R C H S E R I E S


The Fire Risk to Children 

December 2004	 Volume 4, Issue 8 

Findings 

H The relative risk of children under age 15 dying in a fire is about the same as the 

general population. However, when dividing the young into subgroups, over 50% 

of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5. These children are usually 

unable to escape from a fire independently. 

H The number of fire injuries are also highest in the under age 5 bracket, decline in 

the middle years, but rise again in the 10–14 age group. This is a different pattern than deaths, which decrease as children age. 

H Boys are at higher risk of death from fire than girls. African American and American Indian children are at an increased risk of death from fire. 

H Children in the poorest homes face the greatest risk of death. 

H Children playing is the leading cause of child fire injuries; suspicious (arson) 

activity is the leading cause of child deaths. One−third of arson fires are attributed to children under age 15. 

H Fire deaths and injuries have declined over the past decade—both to children 

and the general population. A major reason for the decline is the greater prevalence of smoke alarms. The mandatory 1994 safety standard that required disposable lighters to be child resistant has prevented thousands of fires in which 

children would have been at risk. 

It is an unfortunate fact that young children face an elevated risk of injury or death in a fire. Very young children are typically dependent to some degree on others for their safety. Those older are more mobile, but may not 

have sufficient abilities to protect themselves. Although many factors influence the risk children face, more often 

than not age—and more specifically immaturity—dominates. This topical report provides a brief analysis of the 

fire risk for children between birth and age 14. 

The concept of “risk” with respect to fire casualties can be addressed in several ways: absolute numbers of 

deaths and injuries, proportions (percent) of these casualties, rates (per unit, usually fires or population), and relative risk. Each measure is useful but in different ways, and each has its drawbacks. The absolute number of casualties is an important consideration—it is a concrete measure of the size or magnitude of the problem, but does not 

address the magnitude relative to other aspects of the problem. In this case, proportions are used to compare the 

relative size of the problem. Yet, these proportions do not convey the magnitude of the problem as does the absolute number of casualties. Neither of these two measures is useful for comparisons across different groups. For 

comparison across groups, a common basis is used to determine rates. These rates then account for any differences 

in group sizes that might affect the size of the problem.1 In comparing fire rates, the relative risk of dying or being 

injured is a helpful measure. The relative risk of a group is calculated by comparing its rate to the rate of the overall population. The result is a measure of how likely a particular group is to be affected. A detailed discussion of per 

capita rates and relative risk can be found in the Topical Series report, Fire Risk (Vol. 4, Issue 7, December 2004). 

When evaluated in the aggregate, children have a relative risk of fire death similar to that of the general population. (For 2001, however, this relative risk is lower than the general population.) But grouping all children from 

S Federal Emergency Management Agency 

United States Fire Administration S National Fire Data Center 

Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727 

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/reports/pubs/tfrs.shtm 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

1 
zero to age 14 together can be misleading. The deaths and injuries are substantially higher for the youngest population, those children age four and under. In this analysis, children are divided into age subgroups to better understand how risk varies as children grow older. The groupings are age 4 and under, age 5 to 9, and age 10 to 14. 

WHO IS AFFECTED 

In 2001, nearly 600 children under the age of 15 were killed as a result of fires (Table 1).2 Although fire 

deaths have decreased in recent years, the fire death record in the United States remains among the highest in the 

industrialized world. Children aged 14 and under account for 15% to 20% of fire deaths, depending on the data 

source.3 The youngest children are especially hard hit—over 50% of child fire deaths affect children under the age 

of 5. For children under age 15 in 2001, deaths from fire and burns are the second leading cause of nontransportation accidental deaths.4 

TABLE 1. CHILD FIRE DEATHS AND INJURIES, 2001 

All 0–14 0–4 5–9 10–14 

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent 

Deaths 599 100 320 53.4 181 30.2 98 16.4 

Injuries 2,926 100 1,420 48.5 575 19.7 931 31.8 

Source: NCHS (deaths); NFIRS and NFPA (injuries) 

Fire injuries affected an estimated 2,900 children in 2001. Again, the youngest suffer a large share of injuries—nearly 50% of child fire injuries occur to children under age 5 (Table 1). Though fire deaths declined consistently in the older age groups, fire injuries declined between the young preschoolers and the younger school−aged 

children (ages 5 to 9) but rose for older children (Table 1). Children accounted for 14% of all fire injuries. 

Age, demographics (e.g., gender), and socioeconomic factors of children and the households where they live 

all come into play in determining fire risk. As the age of the child increases, the likelihood of dying in a fire 

decreases. Children under age 5 are more likely to die as the result of fire than the general population while children 5 to 14 have a substantially lower risk. For all age categories, boys were at greater danger than girls (Table 

2).5 African American children are at greater risk than the national average—African Americans comprise a large 

and disproportionate share of total fire deaths, accounting for 35% of fire deaths among children. In 2001, African 

American children age 4 and below had a relative risk of dying that was nearly three times higher than the general 

population, compared to an elevated risk of only 1.2 for all children in that age group. For children of American 

Indians that year, the relative risk was 0.8, but in children 4 and under, the risk rose to 1.3. 

WHY CHILDREN ARE AT RISK 

Escaping from a fire can be difficult for children. A child aged 4 or under is usually too young to escape from a 

fire independently. Children of this age generally lack the mental faculties to understand the need and the means of 

quickly escaping a burning structure. In 2001, over half (53%) of child fire fatalities and 49% of child fire injuries 

were among preschoolers (Table 1). Even in their own homes, very young children lack an understanding of how 

to escape. 

Physiologically, young children are susceptible to severe injury or death from fire. A young child’s skin is quite 

thin compared to adults and older children. As a result, young children can suffer deep burns more rapidly.6 Exposure to toxic byproducts of fire are especially serious to children—33% of fatalities in children under age 15 were 

the result of asphyxiation as compared to 26% of older fatalities, aged 15 and above. 

In addition to not recognizing the danger, young children are curious and will touch and manipulate most 

items left within their reach. This includes matches, cigarette lighters, candles, stoves, and fireworks. The majority 

of child−playing fires involve matches and lighters, although lighters contribute more often than matches to the 

deaths, injuries, and property damage in playing−related fires. Playing with these heat sources results in large numbers of fires—over 34,000 fires in 2001, of which 8,000 were in homes. In 2001, playing with fire was the leading cause of fire injuries among children and accounted for 19% of fire−related injuries (Table 3). For school age 

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TABLE 2. CHILD FIRE DEATHS, 2001 

2001 2001 Death Rate Relative 

Gender/Race Population Fire Deaths (per million) Risk 

Total 

Male 

Female 

White 

African American 

American Indian 

Asian/Pacific 

White Male 

African American Male 

American Indian Male 

Asian/Pacific Male 

White Female 

African American Female 

American Indian Female 

Asian/Pacific Female 

60,482,119 

30,958,761 

28,523,358 

46,280,132 

9,487,444 

740,542 

2,343,120 

23,748,525 

4,814,914 

376,449 

1,192,485 

22,531,607 

4,672,530 

364,093 

1,150,635 

599 

361 

238 

380 

210 

8 

1 

228 

126 

6 

1 

152 

84 

2 

– 

9.9 

11.7 

8.1 

8.2 

22.1 

10.8 

0.4 

9.6 

26.2 

15.9 

0.8 

6.7 

18.0 

5.5 

– 

0.7 

0.8 

0.6 

0.6 

1.6 

0.8 

0.0 

0.7 

1.9 

1.1 

0.1 

0.5 

1.3 

0.4 

– 

Total 

Male 

Female 

White 

African American 

American Indian 

Asian/Pacific 

White Male 

African American Male 

American Indian Male 

Asian/Pacific Male 

White Female 

African American Female 

American Indian Female 

Asian/Pacific Female 

19,363,555 

9,900,481 

9,463,074 

14,788,909 

2,952,590 

222,328 

778,931 

7,580,197 

1,498,498 

113,363 

393,265 

7,208,712 

1,454,092 

108,965 

385,666 

320 

196 

124 

201 

115 

4 

– 

126 

67 

3 

– 

75 

48 

1 

– 

16.5 

19.8 

13.1 

13.6 

38.9 

18.0 

– 

16.6 

44.7 

26.5 

– 

10.4 

33.0 

9.2 

– 

1.2 

1.4 

0.9 

1.0 

2.8 

1.3 

– 

1.2 

3.2 

1.9 

– 

0.7 

2.4 

0.7 

– 

ALL CHILDREN (AGE 0–14) 

AGE 0–4 

AGE 5–9 

Total 20,208,124 181 9.0 0.6 

Male 10,347,035 113 10.9 0.8 

Female 9,861,089 68 6.9 0.5 

White 15,423,793 115 7.5 0.5 

African American 3,214,371 64 19.9 1.4 

American Indian 249,399 1 4.0 0.3 

Asian/Pacific 777,477 1 1.3 0.1 

White Male 7,918,050 69 8.7 0.6 

African American Male 1,631,914 42 25.7 1.8 

American Indian Male 126,424 1 7.9 0.6 

Asian/Pacific Male 395,417 1 2.5 0.2 

White Female 7,505,743 46 6.1 0.4 

African American Female 1,582,457 22 13.9 1.0 

American Indian Female 122,975 – – – 

Asian/Pacific Female 382,060 – – – 

(continued) 

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TABLE 2. CHILD FIRE DEATHS, 2001 (cont’d) 

2001 2001 Death Rate Relative 

Gender/Race Population Fire Deaths (per million) Risk 

AGE 10–14 

Total 20,910,440 98 4.7 0.3 

Male 10,711,245 52 4.9 0.3 

Female 10,199,195 46 4.5 0.3 

White 16,067,430 64 4.0 0.3 

African American 3,320,483 31 9.3 0.7 

American Indian 268,815 3 11.2 0.8 

Asian/Pacific 786,712 – – – 

White Male 8,250,278 33 4.0 0.3 

African American Male 1,684,502 17 10.1 0.7 

American Indian Male 136,662 2 14.6 1.0 

Asian/Pacific Male 403,803 – – – 

White Female 7,817,152 31 4.0 0.3 

African American Female 1,635,981 14 8.6 0.6 

American Indian Female 132,153 1 7.6 0.5 

Asian/Pacific Female 382,909 – – – 

Source: NCHS 2001 mortality data; Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Table NA–EST2002–ASRO–03— 

National Population Estimates—Characteristics, Release Date: June 18, 2003, 

http://www.census.gov/popest/archives/2000s/vintage_2002/NA−EST2002−ASRO−03.html; 

and Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau, detail files for Monthly Population Estimates, 2000 to 2002, 

http://www.census.gov/popest/archives/2000s/vintage_2002/files/2002RESIDENT2001MONTHS07_12.txt. 

Note: Relative risk may not compute due to rounding. 

TABLE 3. LEADING CAUSES OF CHILD FIRE INJURIES, 2001 (percent) 

All 0–14 0–4 5–9 10–14 

Children Playing 19.1 12.8 37.6 16.7 

Incendiary/Suspicious 18.0 17.0 19.5 18.7 

Cooking 16.2 18.6 9.8 16.7 

Open Flame, Ember, Torch 13.9 13.5 12.8 15.3

 Source: NFIRS 2001 

children, ages 5–14, however, this percentage is higher—playing with fire accounted for 25% of fire−related injuries. Fourteen percent of child fire deaths were the result of children playing (Table 4). 

The home is a dangerous place for young children: the majority of casualties to children—approximately 86% 

of fatalities and 83% of injuries—occurred in residential fires in 2001.7 

Socioeconomic factors have an effect on the fire risk to the youngest and most dependent children. The danger 

of death or injury is closely tied to household income. Children in the poorest homes are exposed to the greatest 

risk. A number of factors contribute to this elevated threat: the poor often live in substandard housing in crowded 

TABLE 4. LEADING CAUSES OF CHILD FIRE DEATHS, 2001 (percent) 

All 0–14 0–4 5–9 10–14 

Incendiary/Suspicious 22.4 31.4 12.2 13.0 

Open Flame, Ember, Torch 14.9 8.6 22.0 21.7 

Children Playing 14.2 17.1 14.6 4.3 

Cooking 10.4 5.7 14.6 17.4 

Electrical Distribution 10.4 11.4 14.6 – 

Source: NFIRS 2001 

Note: Leading causes shown are determined for all child fire casualties; leading causes in an age group may vary from those shown. 

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conditions, children are more likely to be left alone than in affluent households, many of these children live in 

single−parent households, and there are more children to supervise.8 

CAUSES AND PREVENTION 

In recent years, the deaths among younger children from playing has seen a downturn, in part because of 

product changes to lighters. In 1994, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) set a mandatory safety 

standard that requires disposable lighters and certain novelty lighters to be child resistant. The standard covers 

more than 95% of the 600 million lighters purchased in the United States each year.9 A study by the Directorate 

for Epidemiology of the CPSC found a 58% reduction in cigarette lighter fires caused by children resulting in the 

prevention of 3,300 fires, 100 deaths, 660 injuries, and $52.5 million in property losses just in the year 1998.10 

Arson was suspected to be the most probable cause of 10% of all residential fires in 2001. FBI statistics suggest 

that children account for more than half of all arrests for arson, and more than one−third were 14 or younger.11 In 

2001, fires of suspicious origin were responsible for 22% of the fire deaths and 18% of the injuries among children. Preteens start fires as part of play in a relatively normal phase of development, but older juvenile firesetters 

often have psychological problems that may relate to stress, such as child abuse or learning disabilities.12 

Smoke alarms are unanimously credited with saving thousands of lives each year. Dramatic gains in injury prevention and survival rates have been seen since the devices came onto the market in the 1970s. New studies, however, question the efficacy of these alarms to alerting children. According to research conducted in Australia and 

Canada, sleeping children do not respond appropriately to the alarm. According to psychologist Dorothy Bruck, 

Victoria University, Australia, children have different sleep patterns from adults, sleep more soundly for longer 

periods, and are more difficult to rouse. Bruck has been studying the issue since the late 1990s. For children 15 

and under, the reliable waking rate was less than 6%. Bruck and her associates found that the risk factor changed 

when there was an adult around to wake the children, but many of the children remained groggy for some time 

and their responses were slowed.13 

The CPSC has taken the lead in research concerning children, fire, and smoke alarms. Meanwhile, Bruck and 

other researchers have embarked on a new series of studies to test the effectiveness of smoke alarms in awakening 

children. 

CONCLUSION 

Children are some of the nation’s most vulnerable residents and merit special attention to reduce their risk of 

injury or death from fire. Gains have been made in reducing fire deaths and injuries among children. CPSC continues to look at products that pose additional fire risks for children, and education programs are conducted to teach 

young children about the dangers associated with fire and also to teach their caregivers. Yet large numbers of 

young children continue to die from fire−related injuries each year. 

Appropriate oversight of small children is one of the most effective means of preventing injury or death from 

all sources. A greater understanding of why children are at an elevated risk of death and injury from fire is still 

required. So, too, are strategies to lower that risk. A number of resources are available to help address the fire 

problem for children. Because children account for 15% to 20% of fire deaths and 14% of fire injuries, the USFA 

has been working toward the goal of reducing fire deaths and injuries to children. A number of resources to help 

address the fire problem for children and adults are available. USFA’s fire safety campaign for babies and toddlers 

at http://www.usfaparents.gov/ provides parents with home strategies ranging from the control of matches and 

lighters to home escape planning to protect young children from fire. 

To request additional information or comment on this report, visit 

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/applications/feedback 

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Notes: 1	 In the case of fire casualties, this common basis is a population of 1 million, which means that fire rates are measured by incidents, deaths, or injuries per million persons. 

2	 Fire deaths are extracted from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) mortality data; estimates of fire injuries are from 

the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA’s) annual survey. 

3	 National Fire Incidence Reporting System (NFIRS) data for 2001 indicates 20% of fire deaths occurred in the 14 and under age 

group; data extracted from NCHS indicate these deaths are 15% of all fire deaths for 2001. 

4	 National Center for Health Statistics, “National Vital Statistics Reports,” Vol. 52, No. 3, September 18, 2003. 

5	 Due to rounding to one decimal place, the relative risk for boys and girls aged 10–14 appears equal in several instances in Table 

2. In these instances, in 2001, boys still have a slightly elevated risk compared to girls.

6 Fire Smart, http://nfpa.org/riskwatch/topfireburn.html. 

7 NFIRS data, 2001. 

8 Socioeconomic Factors and the Incidence of Fire, U.S. Fire Administration, FA 170, June 1997. 

9 Child−Resistant Lighters Protect Young Children, CPSC Document #5021, http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5021.html. 

10 “Study of the effectiveness of the US safety standard for child resistant cigarette lighters,” Injury Prevention 2002:8: 192–196. 

http://www.cpsc.gov/LIBRARY/FOIA/FOIA03/os/lighters.pdf. 

11 Juvenile Offenders and Victims 1999 National Report, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, 

1999. 

12 U.S. Arson Trends and Patterns, NFPA, January 2000. 

13 Dorothy Bruck, "Non−awakening in children in response to a smoke detector alarm," Fire Safety Journal, Vol. 32 Issue 4, June 1999, 

pp 369–376. 

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