U.S. Fire Administration

TOPICAL FIRE RESEARCH SERIES

Volume 2, Issue 15

November 2001 (Rev. March 2002)

Daycare Center Fires

FINDINGS

S An estimated 325 fires occur in daycare centers/facilities each year.

These result in few fatalities, but cause $1.6 million in property loss.

S Cooking is the leading cause of daycare center fires. Children playing

fire are not a significant cause.

S Smoke alarms operate in 63% of daycare center fires—a much higher

rate than in non-residential structures in general.

S Licensing regulations and building codes for daycare facilities emphasize fire prevention and protection.

Sources: NFPA and NFIRS

In 1997, 77% of preschool children with employed mothers were cared for in childcare centers, in family childcare located in providers’ homes, by relatives, or by nannies

for a least some period of time during the week.

1

Each year between 1996 and 1998, approximately 325 fires were reported in structures classified as daycare centers.

2 These fires rarely injure or kill anyone—less than 10

injuries or fatalities each year—but they cause an average of $1.6 million in property

loss.3 This report examines the causes and characteristics of daycare center fires.

This analysis addresses only those fires that are reported to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and that occur in structures classified specifically as

daycare centers. Currently it is not possible to determine from NFIRS data the frequency

of fires in residential structures where someone is providing daycare services (licensed or

unlicensed). Instead, information on these types of daycare centers and fires in them must

be gleaned from other sources, such as the media.

This lack of data leads to a number of questions as to the incidence of fire in home

daycare settings. Is there a higher incidence of of fire in home daycare settings that can

be attributed to children playing? Does current daycare licensing adequately protect

young children from the threat of fire? Is there a correlation between the time of day

when a fire originates and the presence of daycare children in the home? Does the pres-
ence of additional children in the home influence the incidence of children playing fires,

or is a rise seen in other types of fires (e.g., cooking, heating)? Answers to these questions are not possible at this time.

LOSS MEASURES

Figure 1 compares the loss measures for daycare center fires to those occurring generally in non-residential structures. Daycare center fires tend to cause less damage, but

are slightly more injurious than non-residential structure fires. It is possible that the

higher rate of injuries in daycare center fires is a result of the age of the center’s occupants. Children may require more direction and assistance to leave a structure in the

event of a fire than adults.

Figure 1. Loss Measures for Daycare Center Fires

(3-year average, NFIRS data 1996–98)

LOSS MEASURE

Dollar Loss/Fire

Injuries/1,000 Fires

Fatalities/1,000 Fires

Source: NFIRS only

CAUSES

ALL NON-RESIDENTIAL

STRUCTURE FIRES

$21,878

22.1

1.7

DAYCARE

CENTER FIRES

$5,975

23.9

04

The leading causes of daycare center fires are cooking, appliances, electrical distribution, and heating (Figure 2). Nationally, the leading causes of non-residential structure fires are incendiary/suspicious (arson), electrical distribution, and open flame.

Interestingly, children playing fires are the same for both childcare centers and all

non-residential structures. This may be due to the regulations incumbent on daycare centers that require certain staff-to-child ratios and the use of childproof cabinets, etc.

5
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Cooking

Appliances

Electrical Distribution

Heating

Incendiary/Suspicious

Open Flame

Other Equipment

Children Playing

Smoking

Exposure

Natural

Other Heat

All Reported Daycare Center Fires

Non-Residential Structure Fires

Figure 2. Causes of Daycare Center Fires

(3-year average, NFIRS data 1996–98)

Adjusted Percent

Source: NFIRS only

WHERE FIRES START

Figure 3 illustrates where daycare center fires originate. Since cooking is the leading

cause of fires, it is not surprising that the kitchen is the leading area (37%) where daycare

center fires originate. About 25% of fires are nearly equally spread between lavatories,

multipurpose rooms, heating equipment room, and laundry rooms.

Figure 3. Area of Fire Origin

(3-year average, NFIRS data 1996–98)

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Kitchen

Lavatory

Multipurpose Room

Heating Equipment Room

Laundry Room

Adjusted Percent

Source: NFIRS only
Daycare center fires tend to be small, with 83% of flame damage confined to the

object or room of origin. Moreover, a smoke alarm operates in 63% of daycare center

fires, compared to only 18% in non-residential structures.

In 41% of daycare center fires, the factor influencing the fire’s ignition is either an

unattended heat source or a short circuit (Figure 4). Both are consistent with the high

incidence of cooking fires (e.g., accidentally leaving food on the stove) and electrical

appliance fires. Moreover, in 29% of daycare center fires, the material first ignited is

cooking materials; in 22%, it is electrical wire (Figure 5).

Figure 4. Leading Factors

Influencing Ignition

(3-year average, NFIRS data

1996–98, adjusted percentage)

FACTOR INFLUENC- PERCENT

ING IGNITION OF FIRES

Unattended

Short Circuit

Combustible Too Close

to Heat

21

20

8

Source: NFIRS only

Figure 5. Type of Material

Ignited

(3-year average, NFIRS data

1996–98, adjusted percentage)

PERCENT

MATERIAL IGNITED OF FIRES

Cooking Materials

Electrical Wire

Framing/Structural

Materials

29

22

5

Source: NFIRS only

In keeping with the high incidence of cooking fires, the leading equipment involved

in the ignition of daycare center fires is a fixed, stationary piece of cooking equipment

(e.g., a stove) (Figure 6). Other types of equipment involved in daycare center fires are

ovens, lighting fixtures, and dryers.
Figure 6. Equipment Involved in Ignition

(3-year average, NFIRS data 1996–98)

0 5 10 15 20

Fixed, Stationary Surface Unit

Fixed, Stationary Oven

Lighting Fixture

Central Heating Unit

Portable Cooking Unit

Dryer

Adjusted Percent Source: NFIRS only

BUILDING CODES

Most building codes do not allow daycare centers to be above the second floor. Further, they are often required to have sprinkler systems, panic hardware on the doors, firerated corridors, extinguishers, and records of fire drills.

6

Specific regulations vary from state to state regarding the licensing of daycare facilities. However, all states address fire protection and emergency procedures in their licensing requirements. Fire prevention and protection provisions generally include monthly

fire drills, fire extinguisher inspections, means of egress from the facility, and procedures

for calling 911.

Family daycare centers based in providers’ homes are also subject to a range of regulations concerning fire safety. These are generally similar to those required of daycare

centers, but are modified to apply to residential structures. For example, as in daycare

centers, many codes and regulations prohibit children in family darycares from being

cared for above the second floor of a residence.

EXAMPLES

S In August 1999, a smoke alarm in a home daycare center was deliberately activated in a routine fire drill. The alarm itself overheated, melted loose from its

mounting, and ignited a fire on the carpet below. The ensuring fire caused only

$1,000 in damage and no one was hurt.7

S In January 1999, a faulty clothes dryer ignited a daycare center fire. The ensuing

blaze killed the center’s owner and three children, ages 2, 1, and 3 months. A fourth

child suffered permanent brain damage.8

S In December 1997, a daycare center was destroyed by arson after thieves robbed

it and set it on fire. No one was hurt, but the building and its contents were a total

loss.9
-

CONCLUSION

Although daycare center fires are somewhat rare, they have the potential to harm

thousands of children. For further information regarding daycare center fire protection

regulations in your state, contact the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in

Child Care (http://nrc.uchsc.edu/index.html), the USFA, or your local fire department.

NOTES:

1. Capizzano, Adams, and Sonenstein, Child Care Patterns of School-Age Children With Employed Mothers, The Urban Institute, 2000.

2. National estimates are based on data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS)

(1996-1998) and the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA’s) annual survey, Fire Loss in the

United States.

3. NFIRS analysis, 1996–98 data.

4. Since deaths are rare and because this report represents statistical estimates based on a sample of fires,

it is possible that the estimates reflect no deaths during a time period where a fatal fire occurred.

5. Regulations vary widely from state to state.

6. Corbett, Glenn, “So You Have To Inspect. . .A Child Daycare Center,” Fire Engineering, February

1998.

7. “Smoke Detector Causes Daycare Fire,” The Associated Press, August 7, 1999.

8. “Lawsuit Filed in Daycare Fire That Killed Three Children,” The Mobile Register, November 2, 2000.

9. “Donations Save Day for Daycare,” The Kansas City Star, December 2, 1997.

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