Topical Fire reporT SerieS

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

National Fire Data Center • Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727 

www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/

Volume 13, Issue 6 / June 2012

Smoking-Related Fires in 

Residential Buildings (2008-2010)

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

■ An estimated 7,600 smoking-related fires in residential buildings occur each year in the 

United States.

■ While smoking-related fires accounted for only 2 percent of all residential building fires, 

they were a leading cause of civilian fire deaths, accounting for 14 percent of fire deaths in 

residential buildings.

■ Nonconfined fires accounted for 93 percent of residential building smoking-related fires.

■ Sixty-seven percent of the nonconfined residential building smoking-related fires occurred 

because of abandoned or discarded smoking materials or products, primarily cigarettes.

■ The bedroom was the leading area of fire origin for nonconfined residential building 

smoking-related fires at 24 percent. 

■ Residential building smoking-related fires occurred most often from noon to 8 p.m., peaking 

from 2 to 3 p.m. at 6 percent. 

Between 2008 and 2010, an estimated annual average of 7,600 smoking-related fires occurred in residential buildings in the United States. These smoking-related 

fires accounted for 2 percent of residential building fires 

responded to by fire departments across the Nation and 

resulted in an average of approximately 365 deaths, 925 

injuries, and $326 million in property loss each year.1, 2, 3

The term “smoking-related fires” applies to those fires that 

are caused by cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and heat from undetermined smoking materials.4

 The U.S. Fire Administration 

(USFA) differentiates between smoking as a cause of fires and 

fires ignited by smoking materials. Smoking and smokingrelated fires are considered a behavioral cause. Fires ignited 

by smoking materials are considered as a group of fires 

where smoking materials were the heat source. The two 

sets are similar but not identical. A deliberately set fire with 

smoking materials as the heat of ignition would be considered an “intentional” fire; a fire unintentionally set by someone smoking (cigarettes, cigars, or other smoking materials) 

would be considered a “smoking-related fire.”5

 This report 

addresses the characteristics of residential building smokingrelated fires as reported to the USFA’s National Fire Incident 

Reporting System (NFIRS) between 2008 and 2010.

Annual estimates of residential building smoking-related 

fires and associated losses for 2008–2010 are presented in 

Table 1. Recent trends in residential building smokingrelated fires and losses tend to be declining.6

 Prevention 

programs, usage of smoke alarms and residential sprinkler 

systems, and safer smoking materials such as fire-safe cigarettes have likely attributed to the decrease in the incidence 

of residential smoking-related fires.

Table 1. National Estimates of Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires 

and Losses by Year (2008–2010)

Year Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires 

Residential Building 

Smoking-Related 

Fire Deaths

Residential Building 

Smoking-Related 

Fire Injuries

Residential Building 

Smoking-Related 

Fire Dollar Loss

2008 8,300 390 950 $334,700,000

2009 7,000 360 900 $356,500,000

2010 7,600 350 950 $286,200,000

Sources: NFIRS 5.0, residential structure fire-loss estimates from the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA’s) annual surveys of fire loss, and USFA’s residential building fire-loss estimates.

Notes: 1) Fires are rounded to the nearest 100, deaths to the nearest 5, injuries to the nearest 25, and loss to the nearest million dollars.

 2) The 2008 and 2009 dollar-loss values were adjusted to their equivalent 2010 dollar-loss values to account for inflation.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 6/Smoking-Related Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 2

While smoking-related fires only accounted for 2 percent 

of all residential building fires, they were one of the leading causes of fire deaths, accounting for 14 percent of fire 

deaths in residential buildings. The fatality rate per 1,000 

fires was more than 7 times greater in smoking-related fires 

than in nonsmoking-related residential building fires. The 

injury rate per 1,000 fires was more than 3 times greater in 

smoking-related fires than in nonsmoking-related residential building fires. In addition, 13 percent of all smokingrelated fires in residential buildings occurred in bedrooms 

when smoking materials ignited mattresses and bedding. 

The combination of cigarettes and mattress flammability 

has long been recognized as a serious issue. In 1973, the 

Federal Mattress Flammability Standard became effective, requiring that mattresses be resistant to ignition from 

smoldering cigarettes.7

Other important measures have been taken to promote fire 

safety and education about the dangers of smoking-related 

fires. For example, in the 1980s, grassroots organizations and Congress worked to pass bills that would require 

cigarettes to pass ignition tests. These efforts resulted in 

the 1984 Cigarette Safety Act and the Fire Safe Cigarette Act 

of 1990, both of which stimulated research to make cigarettes more “fire safe” and less likely to prevent future fire 

tragedies.8

 The years of legislative and research initiatives 

culminated in the first State-based legislation in New York 

to establish what are called “ignition propensity” standards 

cigarettes. Since the New York State legislation was enacted 

in 2003, all 50 States have adopted fire-safe cigarette regulations with the last State passing legislation in March 2010. 

By July 2011, all State-based fire-safe cigarette legislation 

was implemented.

For the purpose of this report, the term “residential smoking 

fires” is synonymous with “residential building smokingrelated fires,” and the term “residential nonsmoking fires” is 

synonymous with “residential building nonsmoking-related 

fires.” “Residential smoking fires” and “residential nonsmoking fires” are used throughout the body of this report; 

the findings, tables, charts, headings, and footnotes reflect 

the full categories, “residential building smoking-related 

fires” and “residential building nonsmoking-related fires.”

Type of Fire

Building fires are divided into two classes of severity in 

NFIRS: “confined fires,” which are those fires confined to 

certain types of equipment or objects and “nonconfined 

fires,” which are not. Confined building fires are small 

fire incidents that are limited in extent, staying within pots 

or fireplaces or certain other noncombustible containers.9

 

Confined fires rarely result in serious injury or large content 

losses and are expected to have no significant accompanying 

property losses due to flame damage.10

The majority of residential smoking fires were generally 

larger, nonconfined fires (93 percent) as shown in Table 2. 

By comparison, 51 percent of all residential building fires 

were nonconfined fires.11

Table 2. Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires by Type of Incident (2008–2010) 

Incident Type Percent

Nonconfined fires 93.49

Confined fires 6.51

Trash or rubbish fire, contained 5.80

Cooking fire, confined to container 0.36

Commercial compactor fire, confined to rubbish 0.22

Chimney or flue fire, confined to chimney or flue 0.11

Fuel burner/boiler malfunction, fire confined 0.02

Total 100.00

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note: It is rare that confined smoking-related fires are associated with cooking and heating. Ninety-three percent of the confined smoking-related fires are from fires in trash or garbage bins. 
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 6/Smoking-Related Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 3

Loss Measures

Table 3 presents losses, averaged over this 3-year period, for 

reported residential smoking and nonsmoking fires.12

Overall, the fire death rate for residential smoking fires was 

substantially higher than that for residential nonsmoking 

fires—24.2 deaths per 1,000 fires versus 3.1 deaths per 

1,000 fires. The rate of fire injuries from smoking in residences was more than triple that of residential nonsmoking 

fires. Dollar loss from residential smoking fires was also 

higher than residential nonsmoking fires at more than twice 

the loss per fire. 

Table 3. Loss Measures for Residential Building Smoking-Related and 

Nonsmoking-Related Fires (3-year average, 2008–2010)

Residential Building Confined Nonconfined Residential Building 

Measure Smoking-Related Residential Building Residential Building Nonsmoking-Related 

Fires Smoking-Related Fires Smoking-Related Fires Fires

Average Loss:

Fatalities/1,000 Fires 24.2 0.0 25.9 3.1

Injuries/1,000 Fires 91.0 8.1 96.8 25.0

Dollar Loss/Fire $25,820 $230 $27,600 $11,940

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes: 1) No deaths in a confined fire were reported to NFIRS during 2008–2010; 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.

 3) When calculating the average dollar loss per fire for 2008–2010, the 2008 and 2009 dollar-loss values were adjusted to their equivalent 2010 dollar-loss values to account for inflation.

 4) Nonsmoking-related residential building fires do not include fires of unknown cause.

Type of Smoking Material Involved in 

Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires

Cigarettes were, by far, the leading type of smoking material involved in residential smoking fires and accounted 

for 86 percent of these fires (Table 4). Pipes or cigars were 

involved in the ignition of very few residential smoking 

fires (2 percent). The type of smoking material was undetermined in 12 percent of residential smoking fires.

Table 4. Sources of Heat in Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires 

(3-year average, 2008–2010)

Heat Source Percent of Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires

Cigarette 86.3

Heat from undetermined smoking material 12.0

Pipe or cigar 1.7

Total 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

When Residential Building SmokingRelated Fires Occur

As shown in Figure 1, residential smoking fires occurred 

most often from noon to 8 p.m., peaking from 2 to 3 p.m. 

at 6 percent.13 They declined throughout the evening and 

early morning and reached their lowest point during the 

morning hours (5 to 8 a.m.). While the period from noon 

to 8 p.m. accounted for 42 percent of residential smoking 

fires, the smoking fires that occurred in the late evening 

and early morning hours tended to be the most deadly. 
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 6/Smoking-Related Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 4

Figure 1. Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires by Time of Alarm (2008–2010)

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

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

Time of Alarm

Percent of Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires

4.2 4.4

3.6

3.3 3.2

2.8 2.8 2.8 3.0 3.1

3.8 4.0

5.1 5.0

4.1

4.4

4.8

4.1

4.8

5.1 5.3 5.3 5.3

5.6

Source: NFIRS 5.0. 

Note: Total does not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.

The incidence of residential smoking fires peaked in April at 

10 percent and declined throughout the remainder of the year

(Figure 2). The percent of fires declined to the lowest point 

in December. Despite fewer numbers of residential smoking 

fires in the winter months as compared to the spring peak, 

more people died in residential smoking fires in the months 

of January, February, and March—37 percent of residential 

smoking fire deaths occurred during these months.

Figure 2. Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires by Month (2008–2010)

Month of Year

Percent of Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

November

December

October

September

August

July

April

May

June

March

February

January

8.5

7.9

9.6

10.4

8.8

8.2 8.2 7.8 7.6 7.7 7.9

7.4

Source: NFIRS 5.0. 
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 6/Smoking-Related Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 5

Fire Spread in Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires

Thirty percent of residential smoking fires were confined 

to the object of origin, either because the incident was 

an NFIRS-defined confined fire14 or because the fire was 

confined to the object, such as an upholstered chair or sofa. 

Thirty-five percent of residential smoking fires extended 

beyond the room of origin (Figure 3). 

Figure 3. Extent of Fire Spread in Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires (2008–2010)

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0

Beyond Building of Origin

Confined to Building of Origin

Confined to Floor of Origin

Confined to Room of Origin

Confined to Object of Origin 30.0

35.1

10.6

21.8

2.4

Percent of Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes: 1) The percent of fires that are confined to the object of origin is not the same as the percent that are defined as “confined fires.” The NFIRS definition of “confined fires” is fires confined 

to a fire-resistant container such as a pot, fireplace, or waste container. 

 2) Total does not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.

Confined Fires

NFIRS allows abbreviated reporting for confined fires, and 

many reporting details of these fires are not required. As 

a result, data are often not reported on these fires. Because 

confined residential smoking fires accounted for only 7 

percent of residential smoking fire incidents, they represent a small portion of the time-of-alarm profile. Confined 

residential smoking fires were greatest during the hours 

of 7 to 8 p.m. when they accounted for 10 percent of all 

smoking residential fires that occurred during this period. 

Between 2008 and 2010, confined residential smoking fires 

were most prevalent in March and November and varied 

throughout the remainder of the year. 

Nonconfined Fires

Nonconfined residential smoking fires accounted for 93 

percent of all residential smoking fire incidents. The next 

sections of this Topical Report address nonconfined residential smoking fires, where detailed fire data were available.

Where Nonconfined Residential Building SmokingRelated Fires Start (Area of Fire Origin)

Approximately one quarter of nonconfined residential smoking fires (24 percent) originated in bedrooms. 

Bedrooms were also the leading area of origin in fatal residential smoking fires (40 percent).

Exterior balconies and unenclosed porches were the second 

leading areas of origin of nonconfined residential smoking fires, at 15 percent. Common rooms, including living 

rooms, family rooms, dens or lounge areas (11 percent), 

exterior wall surfaces (6 percent), and courtyards, patios, 

and terraces (6 percent) accounted for 22 percent of all nonconfined residential smoking fires (Table 5).15
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 6/Smoking-Related Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 6

Table 5. Leading Areas of Fire Origin in Nonconfined Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires (2008–2010)

Area of Origin

Percent of Nonconfined Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires 

(Unknowns Apportioned)

Bedrooms 23.7

Exterior balconies, unenclosed porches 14.7

Common room, den, family room, living room, lounge 10.7

Exterior wall surfaces 5.8

Courtyards, patios, terraces 5.6

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

What Ignites First in Nonconfined Residential 

Building Smoking-Related Fires

Twenty-four percent of the items first ignited in nonconfined residential smoking fires fell under the “structural 

component or finish” category (Figure 4). This category 

includes exterior sidewall coverings, surfaces, and finishes, 

as well as structural members or framing. At 22 percent, the 

second leading category of items first ignited, “soft goods, 

wearing apparel,” includes clothing, mattresses, pillows, 

and bedding—sheets, blankets, and comforters. “Furniture, 

utensils” was the third leading category (18 percent). 

Upholstered sofas and chairs (13 percent) and rubbish, 

trash, and waste (12 percent) were the specific items most 

often first ignited in nonconfined residential smoking fires. 

In bedrooms, the leading area of fire origin for nonconfined 

residential smoking fires, mattresses and pillows (29 percent) and bedding (27 percent) were the items most often 

first ignited.

Figure 4. Item First Ignited in Nonconfined Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires 

by Major Category (2008–2010)

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0

Undetermined

Liquids, Piping, Filters

Adornment, Recreational Material, Signs

Unspecified Item First Ignited

Storage Supplies

Organic Materials

General Materials

Furniture, Utensils

Soft Goods, Wearing Apparel

Structural Component or Finish

Percent of Nonconfined 

Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires with 

Item First Ignited Determined

Percent of All Nonconfined 

Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires

24.4

22.3

21.6

19.7

18.2

16.6

17.3

15.8

7.6

7.0

4.1

3.7

3.3

3.0

2.0

1.8

1.4

1.3

8.8

Percent of Nonconfined Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note: Total of nonconfined residential building smoking-related fires with item first ignited determined does not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.

Fire Spread in Nonconfined Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires

Nonconfined residential smoking fires tended to remain 

within the confines of the room of origin, either confined 

to the object itself or spreading, but staying within the room 

of origin. The majority of nonconfined residential smoking 

fires, 63 percent, were limited to the object or room of fire 

origin (Figure 5). Nonconfined residential nonsmoking fires, 

by contrast, were limited to the object or room of fire origin 

less often (59 percent) and tended to be larger spreading—33 

percent of nonconfined residential nonsmoking fires spread 

to the building of origin or beyond while only 26 percent of 

nonconfined residential smoking fires spread to this extent.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 6/Smoking-Related Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 7

While smoking fires tended to be smaller than other causes 

of residential fires, they were still dangerous. Case in point: 

43 percent of fatal nonconfined residential smoking fires 

never spread beyond the room of origin; only 23 percent 

of fatal nonconfined residential nonsmoking fires remained 

contained to the object or room of origin.

Figure 5. Extent of Fire Spread in Nonconfined Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires 

and Nonconfined Residential Building Nonsmoking-Related Fires (2008–2010)

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0

Beyond Building of Origin

Confined to Building of Origin

Confined to Floor of Origin

Confined to Room of Origin

Confined to Object of Origin 26.0

22.2

36.8

36.4

11.3

8.6

23.3

28.2

2.6

4.7

Percent of Nonconfined Residential Building Fires

Nonconfined 

Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires

Nonconfined 

Residential Building 

Nonsmoking-Related Fires

Source: NFIRS 5.0. 

Notes: 1) Total of nonconfined residential building nonsmoking-related fires does not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.

 2) Nonconfined residential building nonsmoking-related fires do not include fires of unknown cause.

Factors Contributing to Ignition in Nonconfined 

Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires

Table 6 shows the leading factors contributing to ignition 

for nonconfined residential smoking fires. These three 

factors were cited in 93 percent of nonconfined residential 

smoking fires. “Abandoned or discarded materials or products” was the leading factor contributing to ignition (67 

percent) and was cited as a contributing factor more than 

four times the second leading factor, “unspecified misuse 

of material or product” (16 percent). The “heat source too 

close to combustibles” contributed to the ignition of the fire 

in 11 percent of nonconfined residential smoking fires.16 

Cigarettes were the primary smoking material cited as the 

heat source in all three factors.

Table 6. Leading Factors Contributing to Ignition for Nonconfined Residential Building 

Smoking-Related Fires (Where Factor Contributing to Ignition is Specified, 2008–2010)

Percent of Nonconfined 

Factor Contributing to Ignition Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires 

Where Contributing Factor Specified

Abandoned or discarded materials or products 66.6

Unspecified misuse of material or product 15.5

Heat source too close to combustibles 10.9

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.

Alerting/Suppression Systems in 

Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires

Smoke Alarms

Smoke alarm data are available for both confined and nonconfined fires although for confined fires, the data are very 

limited in scope. Note that the data presented in Tables 7 

to 9 are the raw counts from the NFIRS data set and are not 

scaled to national estimates of smoke alarms in residential 

smoking fires. In addition, NFIRS does not allow for the 

determination of the type of smoke alarm—that is, if the 

smoke alarm was photoelectric or ionization, or the location 

of the smoke alarm with respect to the area of fire origin.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 6/Smoking-Related Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 8

Smoke Alarms in Nonconfined Fires

Overall, smoke alarms were reported as present in 52 percent of nonconfined residential smoking fires (Table 7). By 

comparison, smoke alarms were present in 47 percent of 

nonconfined residential nonsmoking fires. Smoke alarms 

were known to be absent in 25 percent of nonconfined residential smoking fires, and firefighters were unable to determine if a smoke alarm was present in another 24 percent of 

these fires. Thus, smoke alarms were potentially missing in 

between 25 to 49 percent of fires with the ability to spread 

or result in fatalities.

Table 7. Presence of Smoke Alarms in Nonconfined Residential Building 

Smoking-Related and Nonsmoking-Related Fires (2008–2010)

Nonconfined Residential Building Nonconfined Residential Building 

Presence of Smoke Alarms Smoking-Related Fires Nonsmoking-Related Fires 

(Percent) (Percent)

Present 51.5 46.6

None present 24.9 26.1

Undetermined 23.6 27.3

Total 100.0 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Of concern are fires in residential buildings that are not

currently or routinely occupied. While these fires are a 

small portion of residential smoking fires (5 percent), these 

occupancies—buildings under construction, undergoing 

major renovation, vacant, and the like—are also unlikely to 

have alerting and suppression systems that are in place and, 

if in place, that operate. Only 9 percent of smoking fires in 

residential buildings that are not routinely occupied were 

reported as having operating smoke alarms. 

Smoke Alarms in Occupied Housing

One of the most important values of smoke alarms is 

detecting smoldering fires before they break into open 

flame or produce large volumes of smoke. Smoke alarms 

are especially useful in early detection of fires caused by 

cigarettes, which fit this pattern and produce sufficient 

smoke to be detected before they become deadly. For fatal 

residential smoking fires that occur at night, often after a 

smoker has dropped a cigarette onto upholstered furniture 

or bedding, having a working smoke alarm can be the difference between life and death. 

Smoke alarms were reported as present in 53 percent of 

nonconfined residential smoking fires in occupied housing (Table 8). Smoke alarms were known to have operated 

in 28 percent of nonconfined smoking fires in occupied 

housing and were known to be absent in 23 percent. 

Firefighters were unable to determine if a smoke alarm was 

present in another 24 percent of these fires. Thus, smoke 

alarms were potentially missing in between 23 to 47 percent of nonconfined residential smoking fires in occupied 

housing with the ability to spread or result in fatalities.

When operational status is considered for nonconfined residential smoking fires in occupied housing, the percentage of 

smoke alarms reported as present (53 percent) consisted of:

•	 smoke alarms present and operated—28 percent;

•	 present, but did not operate—18 percent (fire too small, 

11 percent; alarm did not operate, 8 percent);17 and

•	 present, but operational status unknown—7 percent. 

When the subset of incidents where smoke alarms were 

reported as present is analyzed separately, smoke alarms 

were reported to have operated in 53 percent of the incidents. The alarms failed to operate, however, in 14 percent 

of the incidents. In 20 percent of the incidents, the fire was 

too small to activate the alarm. The operational status of 

the alarm was undetermined in an additional 14 percent of 

the incidents.18

Because smoking is a leading cause of civilian fire deaths in 

residential buildings, these statistics suggest the need to pay 

special attention to smoke alarm maintenance in households with smokers. For this reason, in several prevention 

initiatives involving door-to-door checks on smoke alarm 

presence and maintenance, a smoker living in the residence 

is noted.19, 20
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 6/Smoking-Related Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 9

Table 8. NFIRS Smoke Alarm Data for Nonconfined Residential Building Smoking-Related 

Fires in Occupied Housing (2008–2010)

Presence of 

Smoke Alarms Smoke Alarm Operational Status Smoke Alarm Effectiveness Count Percent

Present

Fire too small to activate smoke alarm 1,205 10.5

Smoke alarm operated

Smoke alarm alerted occupants, occupants responded

Smoke alarm alerted occupants, occupants failed to respond

No occupants

2,283

164

285

19.9

1.4

2.5

Smoke alarm failed to alert occupants 133 1.2

Undetermined 333 2.9

Smoke alarm failed to operate 864 7.5

Undetermined 823 7.2

None present 2,658 23.2

Undetermined 2,725 23.8

Total incidents 11,473 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes: 1) 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 residential building smoking-related fires in occupied 

housing. They are presented for informational purposes. 

 2) Total does not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.

Smoke Alarms in Confined Fires

Less information about smoke alarm status is collected for 

confined fires, but the data still give important insights. 

Smoke alarms operated and alerted occupants in 32 percent 

of confined residential smoking fires (Table 9). The analyses presented here do not differentiate between occupied 

and nonoccupied housing, as this data detail is not part of 

the confined fires reporting requirement. (This additional 

data detail was reported for only 30 percent of confined 

residential smoking fire incidents.) In addition, the analyses assume that confined fires are fires in occupied structures—by definition, confined fires (small fires confined to 

a noncombustible container) appear to imply an occupied 

structure as they are unlikely to be reported otherwise.

Occupants were not alerted by the smoke alarm in 31 percent of confined residential smoking fires.21 Smoke alarm 

effectiveness was unknown in 36 percent of confined residential smoking fires. 

Table 9. NFIRS Smoke Alarm Data for Confined Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires 

(2008–2010)

Smoke Alarm Effectiveness Count Percent

Smoke alarm alerted occupants 280 32.4

Smoke alarm did not alert occupants 270 31.3

Unknown 313 36.3

Total incidents 863 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note: 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 residential building smoking-related fires. They are 

presented for informational purposes. 

Automatic Extinguishment Systems

The analyses presented do not differentiate between 

occupied and nonoccupied housing, as few reported fires 

in nonoccupied housing have automatic extinguishment 

systems (AESs) present. (Occupied housing accounted for 

98 percent of reported nonconfined residential smoking 

incidents with AESs.) AESs were reported as present in only 

3 percent of nonconfined residential smoking fires in buildings not routinely occupied.

Full or partial AESs were present in 6 percent of nonconfined residential smoking fires (Table 10). The lack of an 

AES is not unexpected as only 3 percent of all nonconfined 

residential building fires have an AES present.22 Eighty 

percent of nonconfined residential smoking fires with a 

full AES present were confined to the object or the room of 

origin—an important consideration for containing smoking fires as they are a leading cause of residential fatal fires. 

Sixty-nine percent of AESs in nonconfined residential smoking fires were in multifamily occupancies. 

Note that the data presented in Table 10 are the raw counts 

from the NFIRS data set and are not scaled to national estimates of AESs in residential smoking fires.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 6/Smoking-Related Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 10

Table 10. NFIRS Automatic Extinguishing System (AES) Data for Nonconfined 

Residential Building Smoking-Related Fires (2008–2010)

AES Presence Count Percent

AES present 705 5.7

Partial system present 38 0.3

AES not present 11,046 89.1

Unknown 613 4.9

Total incidents 12,402 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note: 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 residential building smoking-related fires. They are presented 

for informational purposes. 

Examples

The following are recent examples of residential smoking 

fires reported by the media:

•	 April 2012: A house fire resulting in $110,000 in total 

damages in Wichita, KS, displaced three adults and one 

child. The fire, which began on the back deck of the 

home, was reported at 8:24 a.m. and spread from the 

deck into the attic. The blaze caused $70,000 in structural damage and $40,000 in contents loss. Investigators 

determined the cause of the fire was a result of careless 

smoking.23

•	 April 2012: A 79-year-old man died following a midafternoon fire at his home in Cranston, RI. When firefighters arrived at the two-story home, heavy smoke and fire 

damage were found throughout the home. Firefighters 

located the man in the kitchen, and he was transported to the hospital where he later died. Fire officials 

believed the fire started on the first floor spreading to 

the second floor and later determined that the cause of 

the blaze was due to careless smoking.24

•	 April 2012: An early morning fire at a mobile home in 

Coos Bay, OR, left two women dead and one man in critical condition. Upon arrival at the fire scene, firefighters 

found the man in a bedroom. He was transported to an 

area hospital where he was treated for smoke inhalation. 

The women were found in a second bedroom where the 

fire originated and were believed to have died of smoke 

inhalation. It was reported that the home had working 

smoke alarms, and investigators believed the fire was 

caused by smoking in bed.25

•	 February 2012: A woman succumbed to burn injuries 

and smoke inhalation a day after a fire broke out in her 

home in Aurora, OH. The fire marshal’s office previously 

reported the fire was contained to a bed. An off-duty 

firefighter and a police officer on patrol initially tried 

to get inside the house to help the injured woman; 

however, the men suffered smoke inhalation and were 

treated at a local hospital and released. Although smoke 

alarms activated during the incident, two other occupants of the home were alerted to the fire by the injured 

woman. The cause of the fire was ruled accidental and 

resulted from the careless use of smoking materials.26

Resources

Many local and State fire departments have created successful fire safety and prevention programs geared toward 

reducing smoking-related fires. It is likely that these 

prevention programs, the widespread use of smoke alarms, 

the use of residential sprinkler systems, and safer smoking materials such as fire-safe cigarettes have decreased the 

incidence of residential smoking fires. However, residential smoking-related fires are a leading cause of civilian fire 

fatalities. The USFA has addressed this important issue in 

its public education campaign, “Smoking and Home Fires—

How You Can Prevent Home Fires Caused by Smoking.” 

Details and information on this effort can be found at 

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/campaigns/smoking/.

For additional smoking fire safety information, please 

visit http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/

smoking.shtm.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 6/Smoking-Related Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 11

NFIRS Data Specifications for Residential 

Building Smoking-Related Fires

Data for this report were extracted from the NFIRS annual 

Public Data Release (PDR) files for 2008, 2009, and 2010. 

Only version 5.0 data were extracted.

Residential building smoking-related fires were defined as:

•	 Incident Types 111–123 (excludes Incident Type 112): 

Incident 

Type Description

111 Building fire

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: 1) Incident Types 113–118 do not specify if the structure is a building.

 2) Incident Type 112 was included in data analyses prior to 2008 as previous analyses 

showed that Incident Types 111 and 112 were used interchangeably. As of 2008, Incident 

Type 112 is excluded.

•	 Structure Type:

– For Incident Types 113–118:

▪ 1—Enclosed building,

▪ 2—Fixed portable or mobile structure, and

▪ Structure Type not specified (null entry).

– For Incident Types 111 and 120–123:

▪ 1—Enclosed building and

▪ 2—Fixed portable or mobile structure.

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

were excluded to avoid double counting of incidents.

•	 Property Use 400–464: 

Property Description Use

400 Residential, other

419 One- or two-family dwelling

429 Multifamily dwelling

439 Boarding/Rooming house, residential hotels

449 Hotel/Motel, commercial

459 Residential board and care

460 Dormitory-type residence, other

462 Sorority house, fraternity house

464 Barracks, dormitory

•	 The USFA Structure Fire Cause Methodology was used 

to determine residential building smoking-related fire 

incidents.27

The analyses contained in this report reflect the current 

methodologies used by the USFA. The USFA is committed 

to providing the best information on the United States fire 

problem and continually examines its data and methodology to fulfill this goal. Because of this commitment, data 

collection strategies and methodological changes are possible and do occur. As a result, analyses and estimates of 

the fire problem may change slightly over time. Previous 

analyses and estimates on specific issues (or similar issues) 

may have used different methodologies or data definitions 

and may not be directly comparable to the current ones.

To request additional information or to comment on this 

report, visit http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/feedback/.

Notes: 

1 National estimates are based on 2008–2010 native Version 5.0 data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System 

(NFIRS), residential structure fire-loss estimates from the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA’s) annual surveys of 

fire loss, and the U.S. Fire Administration’s (USFA’s) residential building fire-loss estimates. Fires are rounded to the nearest 

100, deaths to the nearest 5, injuries to the nearest 25, and loss to the nearest million dollars.

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, confined fire incidents that have a residential property use but do not have a structure type specified are presumed to be buildings. Nonconfined fire incidents that 

have a residential property use without a structure type specified are considered to be invalid incidents (structure type is a 

required field) and are not included.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 6/Smoking-Related Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 12

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

housing, boarding houses or residential hotels, commercial hotels, college dormitories, sorority/fraternity houses, and 

assisted living facilities.

4 For purposes of this analysis, residential building smoking-related fires are defined as those residential buildings for which 

the cause of the fire was determined to be smoking under the USFA Structure Fire Cause Methodology. It does not include 

intentional fires where the heat of ignition was smoking materials. The cause definitions can be found at http://www.usfa.

fema.gov/fireservice/nfirs/tools/fire_cause_category_matrix.shtm.

5 For comparison, USFA estimates that approximately 12,400 residential building fires with smoking materials as the heat 

source occurred annually between 2008 and 2010.

6 USFA Fire Estimate Summary Series, “2010 Residential Building Smoking Fire Trends,” http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/

pdf/statistics/res_bldg_smoking_fire_trends.pdf (released December 2011).

7 There are two Federal flammability standards that apply to mattresses. The first, the Federal Mattress Flammability 

Standard (37 Fed. Reg. 11,363 (June 7, 1972)) that was effective in 1973 and codified as 16 Code of Federal Regulations 

(CFR) Part 1632, requires that a mattress resist ignition from a smoldering heat source, specifically a cigarette. The second, 

Standard for the Flammability (Open Flame) of Mattress Sets (71 Fed. Reg. 13,472 (March 15, 2006)) that was effective in 

2007 and codified in 16 CFR Part 1633, requires that a mattress resist ignition from small-flame heat sources, such as a 

match, lighter, or candle.

8 The 1984 Cigarette Safety Act funded a 3-year study under the auspices of the Consumer Product Safety Commission 

(CPSC). “The Final Report of the Technical Study Group on Cigarette and Little Cigar Fire Safety: Toward a Less FireProne Cigarette” (1987) reported to the U.S. Congress in 1987 “it is technically feasible and may be commercially feasible 

to develop a cigarette that will have a significantly reduced propensity to ignite furniture and mattresses.” The Fire Safe 

Cigarette Act of 1990 funded an additional 3-year research program and directed the CPSC and the Center for Fire Research 

at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to assess the feasibility to develop a method for testing cigarette 

fire safety performance. In 1993, the Technical Advisory Group overseeing the research reported to Congress that such a 

performance standard could be developed. It further noted that the development of such a standard was beyond the jurisdiction and technical capability of the CPSC.

9 In NFIRS, confined fires are defined by Incident Type codes 113–118.

10 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.

11 “Residential Building Fires (2008–2010),” USFA, April 2012, Volume 13, Issue 2, http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/

statistics/v13i2.pdf.

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

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

is (1,000*(365/7,600)) = 48.0 deaths per 1,000 residential building smoking-related fires, and the fire injury rate is 

(1,000*(925/7,600)) = 121.7 injuries per 1,000 residential building smoking-related fires. 

13 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.

14 NFIRS-defined confined fires are those incidents coded with Incident Type codes 113–118.

15 Total does not sum to 22 percent due to rounding.

16 Total does not sum to 93 percent due to rounding.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 6/Smoking-Related Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 13

17 Total does not sum to 18 percent due to rounding.

18 Total does not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

19 Assistance to Firefighters Grants, Grant # EMW-2009-FP-0119, Institution of Fire Engineers, Alexandria, VA. 

20 Assistance to Firefighters Grants, Grant # EMW-2008-FP-01846, Washington State Association of Fire Marshals, Olympia, WA.

21 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, the smoke alarm was present and operated but the occupant was already aware of the 

fire, or there were no occupants present at the time of the fire.

22 “Residential Building Fires (2008–2010),” USFA, April 2012, Volume 13, Issue 2, http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/

statistics/v13i2.pdf.

23 Stan Finger, “East Wichita house fire blamed on careless smoking,” kansas.com, April 24, 2012, http://www.kansas.

com/2012/04/24/2309331/east-wichita-house-fire-blamed.html (accessed April 25, 2012).

24 Brian Crandall, “Man dies in Cranston house fire,” dailydispatch.com, April 13, 2012, http://www.dailydispatch.com/StateNews/

RI/2012/April/13/Man.dies.in.Cranston.house.fire.aspx (accessed April 24, 2012).

25 Lori Tobias, “Two Coos Bay-area women die in fire; man in critical condition,” oregonlive.com, April 3, 2012, http://www.

oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/04/two_coos_bay-area_women_die_in.html (accessed April 12, 2012).

26 Bob Gaetjens, “Aurora woman dies after Parker Road blaze,” thegatewaynews.com, February 9, 2012, http://www.thegatewaynews.

com/news/article/5155560 (accessed April 12, 2012).

27 The USFA Structure Fire Cause Methodology is designed for structure fires of which buildings are a subset. The cause 

definitions can be found at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/nfirs/tools/fire_cause_category_matrix.shtm.