National Fire Data Center

16825 S. Seton Ave.

Emmitsburg, MD 21727

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/

July 2017 | Volume 18, Issue 5 Topical Fire Report Series

Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential 

Buildings (2013-2015)

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 National 

Fire Incident Reporting 

System. 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

ĵ Seventy-six percent of all civilian fire injuries occurred in residential buildings.

ĵ Residential building fires resulting in injuries occurred most frequently in the late 

afternoon and early evening hours.

ĵ At 11 percent, January had the highest incidence of residential building fires 

resulting in injuries.

ĵ Cooking was the leading cause of residential building fires that resulted in injuries.

ĵ Of the civilian fire injuries that occurred in residential buildings, 35 percent resulted 

from trying to control a fire; an additional 26 percent occurred while the victim 

was attempting to escape.

ĵ Smoke inhalation and thermal burns were the primary symptoms resulting in injury, 

accounting for 78 percent of all injuries resulting from residential building fires.

ĵ The leading human factor contributing to injuries in residential building fires was 

being “asleep” (52 percent).

ĵ Bedrooms (34 percent) were the leading specific location where civilian injuries 

occurred in residential building fires.

Fires can strike anywhere — in structures, buildings, automobiles and the outdoors. Fires that affect our homes 

are often the most tragic and the most preventable. While the loss of our possessions can be upsetting, the 

physical injuries and psychological impacts that fires can inflict on our lives are often far more devastating. It 

is a sad fact that each year, over 70 percent of all civilian fire injuries occurred as a result of fires in residential 

buildings — our homes.1,2

From 2013 to 2015, 76 percent of all civilian fire injuries occurred in residential buildings.3 This topical fire report 

focuses on the characteristics of these injuries as reported to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) 

from 2013 to 2015.4 NFIRS data is used for the analyses presented throughout this report.

By definition, civilian fire injuries involve people who are injured as a result of a fire and are not on active duty 

with a firefighting organization.5 These injuries generally occur from activities of fire control, escaping from the 

dangers of fire, or sleeping. Fires resulting in injuries are those fires where one or more injuries occur.

Annually, from 2013 to 2015, an estimated 12,000 civilian fire injuries resulted from an estimated 7,700 residential 

building fires resulting in injuries and 380,200 total residential building fires.6 On average, someone is injured in 

a residential building fire every 44 minutes.

For the purpose of this report, the term “residential building fires resulting in injuries” is synonymous with 

“residential fires resulting in injuries” and the term “residential building fires” is synonymous with “residential 

fires.” The term “residential fires resulting in injuries” is used throughout the body of this report; the findings, 

tables, charts, headings and endnotes reflect the full category, “residential building fires resulting in injuries.”
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

2

Civilian injury rates for residential building fires

Not all fires produce injuries. When civilian fire injuries were averaged over reported residential fires, the overall 

injury rate was nearly three civilian injuries per 100 residential fires (Table 1).7 Residential fires that resulted in injuries, 

however, had 130 injuries for every 100 fires. Of the residential fires resulting in injuries, 82 percent resulted in one 

civilian injury, 13 percent resulted in two civilian injuries, and 5 percent resulted in three or more civilian injuries.

Table 1. Civilian injury rates for residential building fires per 100 fires (2013-2015)

Injuries per 100 injury-producing residential 

building fires Injuries per 100 residential building fires

129.8 2.6

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

When residential building fires resulting in injuries occur

Residential fires resulting in injuries follow a daily pattern.8

 In addition, unlike fatal residential fires which occurred 

most frequently late at night or in the very early morning hours,9

 residential fires resulting in civilian injuries follow a 

pattern similar to that of all residential fires. As shown in Figure 1, residential fires resulting in injuries occurred most 

frequently in the late afternoon and early evening hours, when many people are expected to be cooking dinner. The 

time period from 4 to 8 p.m. accounted for 23 percent of the residential fires resulting in injuries. Cooking, discussed 

later in the “Causes of residential building fires resulting in injuries” section, was the primary cause (37 percent) for 

residential fires that resulted in injuries. In general, residential fires resulting in injuries decreased to the lowest point 

of the day, between 5 and 8 a.m., and then steadily increased during the daytime hours until reaching the daily peak.

Figure 1. Residential building fires resulting in injuries by time of alarm (2013-2015)

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

11 p.m. - Mid

10 - 11 p.m.

9 - 10 p.m.

1 - 2 p.m.2 - 3 p.m.3 - 4 p.m.4 - 5 p.m.5 - 6 p.m.6 - 7 p.m.7 - 8 p.m.8 - 9 p.m.

12 - 1 p.m.

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

10 - 11 a.m.

9 - 10 a.m.

1 - 2 a.m.2 - 3 a.m.3 - 4 a.m.4 - 5 a.m.5 - 6 a.m.6 - 7 a.m.7 - 8 a.m.8 - 9 a.m.

Mid - 1 a.m.

3.9 4.1

3.5

2.7

3.1

3.6 3.8

4.1 4.4

4.8 4.6 4.9

5.5 5.5

5.9 5.8

5.4

4.7

4.0 4.2

2.6

Percent of fires

Time of alarm

Residential building fires resulting 

in injuries

Residential building fires

3.4 3.1

2.7

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note: Total does not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

3

Residential fires resulting in injuries also follow a yearly pattern similar to that of all residential fires. In addition, 

residential fires resulting in injuries tend to follow a seasonal trend, with more fires taking place during the colder 

months than the warmer months (Figure 2). January, peaking at 11 percent, had the highest incidence of residential 

fires resulting in injuries. June through September resulted in the least amount of residential fires resulting in injuries. 

This drop may be explained by a decrease in residential heating fires and their associated injuries during the warmer 

months.10 Similar to all fires in residential buildings, residential fires resulting in injuries occurred most often on 

Saturdays and Sundays (Figure 3).

Figure 2. Residential building fires resulting in injuries by month (2013-2015)

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

November

December

October

September

August

July

April

May

June

March

February

January

11.1

9.5

8.0

7.0 7.3 7.1 6.6

7.6

8.7 8.7

9.8

8.5

Percent of fires

Month of year

Residential building fires resulting in injuries

Residential building fires

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

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

Figure 3. Residential building fires resulting in injuries by day of week (2013-2015)

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

Sunday Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday Saturday

14.8

13.5 14.2 14.2 14.2 15.0 14.1

Percent of fires

Wednesday

Day of week

Residential building fires resulting in injuries

Residential building fires

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

Sunday Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Source: NFIRS 5.0.
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

4

Cause of injury

The predominant cause of residential fire injuries, by far, involved exposure to fire products (80 percent), such as 

flame, heat, smoke or gas (Figure 4). The next two leading causes were exposure to toxic fumes other than smoke 

(8 percent) and other, unspecified causes (4 percent).

Figure 4. Civilian fire injuries in residential buildings by cause of injury (2013-2015)

4.0

Percent of fire injuries in residential buildings

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0 90.0

Structural collapse

Caught or trapped

Overexertion or strain

Multiple causes

Fell, slipped or tripped

Struck by or contact with object

Jumped in escape attempt

Other

Exposed to toxic fumes

 other than smoke

Exposed to fire products 79.6

7.5

2.4

2.1

1.6

1.2

1.0

0.5

0.1 

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note:	 Percentages computed for only those injuries where causes were specified. The cause of injury was specified in 70 percent of reported injuries.

Primary symptoms of civilian fire injuries

Smoke inhalation and thermal burns were the primary symptoms of reported injuries, accounting for 78 percent of 

all injuries resulting from residential fires (Figure 5). Smoke inhalation alone accounted for 41 percent of residential 

fire injuries. Thermal burns (as opposed to scalds or chemical or electrical burns) accounted for another 24 percent, 

and burns combined with smoke inhalation accounted for an additional 13 percent. Breathing difficulty was reported 

for only 6 percent of injuries. Scalds (4 percent) and cuts or lacerations (3 percent) accounted for an even smaller 

proportion of the injuries.

Thermal burns are caused by contact with flames, hot liquids, hot surfaces, and other sources of high heat. Of the 

thermal burns to the body, 71 percent were to the upper and lower extremities (56 percent and 15 percent, respectively).

Of the smoke inhalation injuries, 70 percent were internal injuries, which are particularly critical, as they can lead 

to lung damage. The inflammation and damage caused by smoke inhalation to delicate breathing sacs in the lungs 

actually grow worse in the hours after the incident. A chest X-ray can look clear, and oxygen levels in the blood may 

appear normal in the first few hours after a fire. A day or two later, however, the victim can suddenly take a turn for 

the worse as the lungs become unable to properly exchange oxygen.11

Based on the severity of the injury, 57 percent of the civilian fire injuries in residential fires were deemed minor. Only 

14 percent of the injuries were considered serious or life-threatening.
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

5

Figure 5. Civilian fire injuries in residential buildings by primary symptoms (2013-2015)

Percent of fire injuries in residential buildings

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0

Cut or laceration

Burns, scald

Breathing difficulty or

 shortness of breath

All other symptoms

Burns and smoke inhalation

Burns only, thermal

Smoke inhalation 40.9

24.1

13.1

8.3

6.2

4.2

3.1

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes:	 1.	Percentages computed for only those injuries where symptoms were specif﻿ied. The primary symptoms were specified in 64 percent of reported injuries.

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

Areas of the body affected

The body parts affected most by residential fire injuries (Figure 6) included internal parts (32 percent) and the upper 

extremities (25 percent). As discussed, the types of injuries that affected most areas of the body consisted of smoke 

inhalation, thermal burns, or a combination of both.

Figure 6. Civilian fire injuries in residential buildings by part of body injured (2013-2015)

11.3

Percent of fire injuries in residential buildings

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0

Spine

Abdomen

Neck and shoulder

Lower extremities

Thorax, includes chest and back,

 excludes spine

Head

Multiple body parts

Upper extremities

Internal 31.8

25.1

10.5

10.3

8.7

1.4

0.5

0.3

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes:	 1.	 Percentages computed for only those injuries where part of body injured was specified. The part of body injured was specified in 58 percent of reported injuries.

2. Total does not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

6

Factors contributing to civilian fire injuries

As shown in Figure 7, the most notable factors contributing to civilian fire injuries (outside of “other (unspecified) 

factors”) involved escape (27 percent), fire pattern (24 percent), and equipment-related factors (17 percent). Escape 

factors include unfamiliarity with exits, excessive travel distance to the nearest clear exit, a choice of an inappropriate 

exit route, re-entering the building, and clothing catching fire while escaping. Fire pattern factors involve such 

situations as exits are blocked by smoke and flame, vision is blocked or impaired by smoke, and civilians are trapped 

above or below the fire. Equipment-related problems include such factors as the improper use of cooking or heating 

equipment and the use of unvented heating equipment.

Figure 7. Factors contributing to civilian fire injuries in residential buildings (2013-2015)

Percent of fire injuries in residential buildings

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0

Vehicle-related factors

Collapse

Other special factors

Egress problem

Equipment-related factors

Fire pattern

Other (unspecified) factor

Escape 26.5

25.5

16.7

9.3

7.3

0.7

0.3

23.7 

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes:	 1.	Includes incidents where factors contributing to injury were specified. Factors contributing to injury were specified in 30 percent of reported injuries.

2. As multiple factors contributing to injury may be noted for each injury, the total sums to more than 100 percent.

Human factors contributing to civilian fire injuries

Human factors also play an important role in residential fire injuries. Table 2 shows that the leading human factor 

contributing to injuries was being “asleep” (52 percent). This is not unexpected, as the largest number of injuries 

occurred in bedrooms (34 percent). “Possibly impaired by alcohol” (17 percent) was the second leading human factor 

contributing to injuries. This was followed by “unattended or unsupervised” individuals (11 percent) and people with 

“physical disabilities” (also 11 percent).

Table 2. Human factors contributing to civilian fire injuries in residential buildings (2013-2015)

Human factors contributing to injury Percent of fire injuries in residential buildings

(unknowns apportioned)

Asleep 52.2

Possibly impaired by alcohol 17.4

Unattended or unsupervised 11.3

Physical disabilities 11.3

Possibly impaired by other drug or chemical 9.1

Possible intellectual disabilities 7.7

Unconscious 4.8

Physically restrained 0.7

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes:	 1.	Includes only incidents where human factors that contributed to the injury were specified. A human factor contributing to the injury was specified in 19 percent

of reported injuries.

	 2.	Multiple human factors contributing to the fire injury may be noted for each incident; total will exceed 100 percent.
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

7

Causes of residential building fires resulting in injuries

As shown in Figure 8, “cooking” (37 percent) was the leading cause of residential fires that resulted in injuries.12

“Other unintentional, careless” actions (9 percent) and “open flame” (9 percent) were the next leading causes. “Other 

unintentional, careless” actions include misuse of material or product, abandoned or discarded materials or products, 

and heat source too close to combustibles. “Open flame” includes torches, candles, matches, lighters, embers and 

the like. These two causes were followed by “electrical malfunction” (7 percent) and “appliances” (also 7 percent).

Figure 8. Causes of residential building fires resulting in injuries (2013-2015) Causes

Percent of residential building fires resulting in injuries

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0

Unknown

Cause under investigation

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 residential building fires resulting 

in injuries with cause determined

Percent of residential building fires resulting

in injuries

5.3

4.2

1.4

1.1

6.2

4.9

6.0

36.6

29.0

6.8

5.4

6.5

5.2

8.6

6.9

5.7

4.5

1.4

1.1

1.0

0.8

0.5

0.4

1.4

1.1

9.3

7.4

3.3

2.6

20.7

4.7

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes:	 1.	Causes are listed in order of the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Structure Fire Cause Hierarchy for ease of comparison of fire causes across different aspects

of the fire problem. Fires are assigned to one of 16 cause groupings using a hierarchy of definitions, approximately as shown in the figure above. A fire is

included in the highest category into which it fits. If it does not fit the top category, then the second one is considered, and if not that one, the third, and so on.

For example, if the fire is judged to be intentionally set and a match was used to ignite it, it is classified as intentional and not open flame because intentional

is higher in the hierarchy.

	 2.	Fires caused by intentional actions include, but are not limited to, fires that are deemed to be arson. Intentional fires are those fires that are deliberately set

and include fires that result from the deliberate misuse of a heat source and fires of an incendiary nature (arson) that require fire service intervention. For

information and statistics on arson fires only, refer to the Uniform Crime Reporting Program arson statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice, FBI, Criminal

Justice Information Services Division, https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/ucr.
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

8

Civilian activity when injured

Most civilian fire injuries occurred when the victim was attempting to control the fire (35 percent), followed by 

attempting to escape (26 percent) and sleeping (11 percent), as shown in Figure 9. The USFA recommends leaving 

fighting a fire to trained firefighters and that efforts be focused on following a preset escape plan. To escape a 

fire, many civilians make the mistake of fleeing through the area where the fire is located. That area of a fire has 

tremendous heat, smoke and a toxic atmosphere that can render a person unconscious. As a result, it is imperative 

that an escape plan be prepared and practiced. With a well-thought out plan that includes multiple escape options, 

the chances of survival and escaping without injuries greatly increase. In addition, it has been demonstrated that 

people may not wake up from the smell of smoke while sleeping. Therefore, it is also vital that smoke alarms are 

installed in homes to alert sleeping people to the presence of fire.13

Figure 9. Civilian fire injuries in residential buildings by activity when injured (2013-2015)

Percent of fire injuries in residential buildings

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0

Returning to vicinity of fire

 after control of fire

Unable to act

Irrational act

Returning to vicinity of the fire

 before control of fire

Rescue attempt

Activity, other

Sleeping

Escaping

Fire control 34.7

25.9

8.2

7.0

6.6

3.0

3.0

0.4

11.2

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note:	 Percentages computed for only those injuries where activity information was available. The activity when injured was specified in 56 percent of reported injuries.

Gender, race and ethnicity of civilian fire injuries

Males accounted for 54 percent and females accounted for 46 percent of residential fire injuries. Figure 10 shows the 

percentage distribution of civilian fire injuries by race. Where racial information was provided, Whites constituted 62 

percent of the injuries, followed by Blacks or African-Americans (30 percent); other, including multiracial (6 percent); 

Asians (1 percent); American Indians or Alaska Natives (less than 1 percent); and Native Hawaiians or other Pacific 

Islanders (also less than 1 percent).

The ethnicity element shows that 87 percent of the injuries occurred to non-Hispanics or non-Latinos, compared to 

Hispanics or Latinos (13 percent). Ethnicity was specified for 40 percent of reported injuries.
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

9

Figure 10. Civilian fire injuries in residential buildings by race (2013-2015)

Percent of fire injuries in residential buildings

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0

Native Hawaiian or other

 Pacific Islander

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Other, includes multiracial

Black or African-American

White 62.4

5.5

1.4

0.7

0.2

29.7

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes:	 1.	Percentages computed for only those injuries where race information was available. Race was specified in 53 percent of reported injuries.

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

Age of civilians injured and activity when injured

Civilians between the ages of 20 and 49 accounted for 46 percent of injuries in residential fires (Figure 11). An 

additional 17 percent of those with injuries were less than 20 years old. Adults aged 50 and over accounted for 38 

percent of those with injuries.14

With the exception of children aged 9 or younger, the first reaction of civilians is either to try to control or escape 

the fire (Table 3). At the time of injury, for those aged 10 and over, trying to control the fire and escaping were the 

two leading activities that resulted in injuries. Those aged 10 to 69 primarily got injured trying to control the fire (38 

percent), followed by trying to escape the fire (24 percent). Those aged 70 and over primarily got injured trying to 

escape the fire (34 percent), followed by trying to control the fire (24 percent).

For children aged 0 to 9, escaping and sleeping were the two leading activities that resulted in injuries. Those aged 0 

to 9 primarily got injured when trying to escape the fire (37 percent), followed by sleeping (27 percent).

The young and the very old are less likely to be as mobile or ready to act in a fire situation. Infants, young children 

and older adults may require special provisions in a fire or emergency situation. Thus, it is not surprising that these 

individuals are less likely to attempt to control the fire.

Figure 11. Civilian fire injuries in residential buildings by age group (2013-2015)

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

18.0

20.0

0-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 90+

8.6 7.9

14.9

16.1

11.1

5.9

3.4

1.2

15.6 15.4

Percent of injuries in

residential building fires

Age

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes: 	 1.	Percentages computed for only those injuries where age was valid. A valid age was provided for nearly all (99.8 percent) reported injuries.

2. Total does not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

10

Table 3. Leading activities resulting in civilian fire injuries in residential buildings by age group (2013-2015)

Percent of fire injuries where age and activity reported (2013-2015)

Age group Fire control Escaping Sleeping

0-9 8.8 37.2 27.0

10-19 37.8 28.3 8.8

20-29 42.1 22.1 9.1

30-39 40.9 22.4 9.2

40-49 38.4 22.9 9.4

50-59 35.7 24.5 10.9

60-69 29.4 27.8 11.9

70-79 26.3 34.3 12.4

80-89 22.3 35.1 10.7

90+ 20.5 31.3 10.7

Overall 34.7 25.9 11.2

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note: Percentages computed for only those injuries where age was valid and activity was reported.

Specific location at time of fire injury

Bedrooms (34 percent) were the leading specific location where civilian fire injuries occurred in residential buildings 

(Table 4). Family rooms and living rooms (10 percent) and kitchens and cooking areas (10 percent) were the next 

leading specific locations.

While not specific rooms in the home, egress areas were the specific locations where 18 percent of fire injuries 

occurred. Exits (such as corridors, stairways and doors) can get filled with smoke, fire or extreme heat, making escape 

routes treacherous.

Table 4. Leading specific location of civilian fire injuries in residential buildings (2013-2015)

Specific location at time of injury Percent

(unknowns apportioned)

Bedrooms 33.8

Common room, den, family room, living room, lounge 10.3

Kitchens and cooking areas 9.8

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note:	 Percentages computed for only those injuries where the specific location at the time of injury was specified. The location was specified for 19 percent of

reported injuries.
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

11

Examples

The following are some recent examples of civilian fire injuries reported by the media:

ĵ February 2017: Two people were injured as a result of a Monday morning house fire that broke out in Salt Lake City, 

Utah. Firefighters arrived on scene to find the front of the two-story house engulfed in heavy smoke and flames. A 

woman in her early twenties suffered severe smoke inhalation and second-degree burns to her face and shoulders. 

In addition, a male occupant of the home was transported to a local hospital for his injuries. Three other residents 

of the home escaped the fire uninjured. The blaze appeared to be accidental, but no cause was determined.15

ĵ January 2017: Firefighters rescued four severely burned children from a single-story house fire in South Los 

Angeles, California. Fire crews were called to the scene at 10:51 p.m. Upon arrival, firefighters found heavy fire 

coming from the front of the residence with occupants trapped inside. The house was secured with window 

security bars and steel screen doors; however, one unbarred window was discovered which allowed firefighters 

to rescue three boys ages 2, 3 and 5 and one 7-year old girl. The children were transported to a local hospital in 

critical condition. No other injuries were reported. One smoke alarm was found in the home, but its operational 

status at the time of the fire was unknown. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.16

ĵ January 2017: Two people were treated for smoke inhalation injuries resulting from an East Bronx, New York, 

building fire. The fire started in the basement of the mixed-use building around 2 a.m. and spread to the upper 

floors and roof. The building was home to a first floor restaurant and second and third floor apartments. No 

other injuries were reported.17

ĵ January 2017: A fire that destroyed a house in South Wichita, Kansas, injured two occupants of the home. The fire 

started around 5 a.m. on Monday and was reported to have been caused by several space heaters that were plugged 

into extension cords. The residents received minor injuries from broken glass as they escaped out a window.18

Escape planning for residential buildings

Everyone should know how to escape from a burning home. The USFA recommends leaving fighting a fire to trained 

firefighters. Instead, efforts should be focused on escaping.

Smoke is very dangerous. It blocks vision, and the poisonous gases can cause dizziness, disorientation and ultimately 

death. These conditions can result in becoming lost or trapped in a home. Because many people die trying to escape 

from a fire, everyone should practice a home escape plan.

Put working smoke alarms on every level of the home, as well as inside and outside of sleeping areas. Everyone should 

create a home escape plan and know two safe ways out of each room. Establish a family meeting place outside the 

home. In addition, because young children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities may need help getting out 

of the home, the plan should include who will assist them in a fire. Practice the plan with everyone in the home at 

least two times a year.

For more information on preparing and practicing a fire escape plan, visit https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/

outreach/escape.html.

Alerting/Suppression systems in residential buildings

Fire fatalities and injuries have declined over the last 35 years, partly due to new technologies to detect and extinguish 

fires. Smoke alarms are present in most homes. In addition, the use of residential sprinklers is widely supported by 

the fire service and is gaining support within residential communities.

Nationally, only 3 percent of households do not have smoke alarms.19 If a fire occurs, properly installed and maintained 

smoke alarms provide an early warning signal to everyone in a home. Smoke alarms help save lives and property.
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

12

The USFA continues to partner with other government agencies and fire service organizations to improve and develop 

new smoke alarm technologies. More information on smoke alarm technologies, performance, disposal and storage, 

training bulletins, and public education and outreach materials is available at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/

technology/smoke_fire_alarms.html. Additionally, the USFA’s position statement on smoke alarms is available at 

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/about/smoke_alarms_position.html.

Residential sprinkler systems help to reduce the risk of deaths and injuries, homeowner insurance premiums, and 

uninsured property losses. Yet many homes do not have automatic extinguishing systems, although they are often 

found in hotels and businesses. Sprinklers are required by code in hotels and many multifamily residences. There 

are major movements in the U.S. fire service to require sprinklers in all new homes. At present, however, they are 

largely absent in residences nationwide.20

The USFA and fire service officials across the nation are working to promote and advance residential fire sprinklers. 

More information on costs and benefits, performance, training bulletins, and public education and outreach 

materials regarding residential sprinklers is available at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/technology/home_

fire_sprinklers.html. Additionally, the USFA’s position statement on residential sprinklers is available at https://www.

usfa.fema.gov/about/sprinklers_position.html.

NFIRS data specifications for civilian fire injuries in residential buildings

Data for this report were extracted from the NFIRS annual Public Data Release files for 2013, 2014 and 2015. Only 

Version 5.0 data were extracted.

Civilian injuries in residential building fires are defined using the following criteria:

ĵ Aid Types 3 (mutual aid given) and 4 (automatic aid given) were excluded to avoid double counting of incidents.

ĵ Incident Types 111 to 123 (excluding 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

Note: Incident Types 113 to 118 do not specify if the structure is a building.
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

13

ĵ Property Use Series 400, which consists of the following:

Property Use Description

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

ĵ Structure Type:

Ý For Incident Types 113 to 118:

f 1—Enclosed building, or

f 2—Fixed portable or mobile structure, or

f Structure Type not specified (null entry).

Ý For Incident Types 111 and 120 to 123:

f 1—Enclosed building, or

f 2—Fixed portable or mobile structure.

ĵ Civilian casualty severity: 1 (minor), 2 (moderate), 3 (severe), 4 (life-threatening), and U (undetermined).

ĵ Other civilian injuries: greater than 0.

The analyses contained in this report reflect the current methodologies used by the USFA. The USFA is committed 

to providing the best and most current information on the U.S. 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.

Information regarding the USFA’s national estimates for residential building fires, as well as the data sources used to 

derive the estimates, can be found in the document “Data Sources and National Estimates Methodology Overview 

for the U.S. Fire Administration’s Topical Fire Report Series (Volume 18),” https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/

statistics/data_sources_and_national_estimates_methodology_vol18.pdf. This document also addresses the specific 

NFIRS data elements analyzed in the topical reports, as well as “unknown” data entries and missing data.

To request additional information, visit https://www.usfa.fema.gov/contact.html. To comment on this specific 

report, visit https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/contact/dataReportEval?reportTitle=Civilian%20Fire%20Injuries%20in%20

Residential%20Buildings%20(2013-2015).
TFRS Volume 18, Issue 5 | Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings (2013-2015)

14

Notes:

1In the NFIRS Version 5.0, a structure is a constructed item of which a building is one type. In previous versions of the 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 the 

NFIRS 5.0 includes 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 structures 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 occur in 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. 

2The percentage presented here is based on the analysis of residential building fire injuries since 2003, the first year for which residential building 

estimates are available (https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/order_download_data.html) and the National Fire Protection Association’s 

(NFPA’s) annual estimates of fire injuries (http://www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics/fires-in-the-us/overall-fire-problem/overviewof-the-us-fire-problem). The consistency of the percentage of residential building fire injuries leads analysts to believe this proportion has most 

likely been stable for some time. 

3Residential 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, and sorority/fraternity houses.

4Fire department participation in the NFIRS is voluntary; however, some states do require their departments to participate in the state system. 

Additionally, if a fire department is a recipient of a Fire Act Grant, participation is required. From 2013 to 2015, 67 percent of the NFPA’s annual 

average estimated 1,294,500 fires to which fire departments responded were captured in the NFIRS. Thus, the NFIRS is not representative of 

all fire incidents in the U.S. and is not a “complete” census of fire incidents. Although the NFIRS does not represent 100 percent of the incidents 

reported to fire departments each year, the enormous dataset exhibits stability from one year to the next, without radical changes. Results 

based on the full dataset are generally similar to those based on part of the data.

5Civilians also include emergency personnel who are not members of the fire department, such as police officers or utility workers.

6In this topical report, fires are rounded to the nearest 100 and injuries to the nearest 25. National estimates are based on 2013 to 2015 native 

Version 5.0 data from the NFIRS, residential structure fire loss estimates from the NFPA’s annual surveys of fire loss, and the USFA’s residential 

building fire loss estimates: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/order_download_data.html. Further information on the USFA’s residential 

building fire loss estimates can be found in the “National Estimates Methodology for Building Fires and Losses,” August 2012, https://www.usfa.

fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/national_estimate_methodology.pdf. For information on the NFPA’s survey methodology, see the NFPA’s 

report “Fire Loss in the United States During 2015,” September 2016, http://www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics/fires-in-the-us/

overall-fire-problem/fire-loss-in-the-united-states. 

7The average fire injury rates computed from national estimates do not agree with average fire injury rates computed from NFIRS data alone. 

The fire injury rate for fires with injuries computed from national estimates is 100 x (12,000/7,700) = 155.8 injuries per 100 injury-producing 

residential building fires. The fire injury rate for all residential building fires computed from national estimates is 100 x (12,000/380,200) = 3.2 

injuries per 100 residential building fires.

8For the purposes of this report, the time of the fire alarm is used as an approximation for the general time at which the fire started. However, 

in the NFIRS, it is the time at which the fire was reported to the fire department.

9The USFA, “Civilian Fire Fatalities in Residential Buildings (2013-2015),” Volume 18, Issue 4, July 2017, https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/

pdf/statistics/v18i4.pdf. 

10The USFA, “Heating Fires in Residential Buildings (2010-2012),” Volume 15, Issue 7, December 2014, https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/

pdf/statistics/v15i7.pdf. 

11Ubelacker, Sheryl, “Doctors: Smoke inhalation victim can seem fine, go into lung failure suddenly,” EMS Responder, October 2004, (Toronto, Canada), 

http://www.emsworld.com/news/10341024/doctors-smoke-inhalation-victim-can-seem-fine-go-into-lung-failure-suddenly (accessed April 20, 2017).

12The USFA Structure Fire Cause Methodology was used to determine the cause of residential building fires resulting in injuries. The cause 

methodology and definitions can be found in the document “National Fire Incident Reporting System Version 5.0 Fire Data Analysis Guidelines 

and Issues,” July 2011, https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/nfirs/nfirs_data_analysis_guidelines_issues.pdf.

13Brown University, “Scents will not rouse us from slumber, says new Brown University study,” Science Daily, May 2004, (Providence, Rhode 

Island), http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/05/040518075747.htm (accessed April 20, 2017).

14Total does not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.

15“Update: Woman suffers burns, severe smoke inhalation in Salt Lake City house fire,” gephardtdaily.com, February 13, 2017, http://gephardtdaily.

com/local/breaking-salt-lake-city-house-fire/ (accessed April 20, 2017). 

16“LAFD firefighters dramatically rescue 4 children from South L.A. fire,” www.lafd.org, January 17, 2017, http://www.lafd.org/news/lafdfirefighters-dramatically-rescue-4-children-south-la-fire (accessed April 20, 2017).

17Brito, Chris, “2 treated for smoke inhalation after fire ravages Bronx building,” pix11.com, January 6, 2017, http://pix11.com/2017/01/06/

two-treated-for-smoke-inhalation-after-fire-ravages-bronx-building/ (accessed April 20, 2017).

18“Two injured in South Wichita house fire,” ksn.com, January 3, 2017, http://ksn.com/2017/01/02/two-injured-in-south-wichita-house-fire/

(accessed April 20, 2017).

19Greene, Michael and Craig Andres, “2004-2005 National Sample Survey of Unreported Residential Fires,” Division of Hazard Analysis, Directorate 

for Epidemiology, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, July 2009.

20U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau, American Housing Survey for the United States: 2011, September 

2013, “Health and Safety Characteristics-All Occupied Units (National),” Table S-01-AO, https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/programssurveys/ahs/data/2011/h150-11.pdf (accessed April 20, 2017).