Topical Fire reporT SerieS Volume 7, Issue 6 / February 2008

Fire Risk to Children in 2004

continued on next page

These short topical reports 

are designed to explore facets of the U.S. fire problem as 

depicted through data collected 

in 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.

Findings

■ The relative risk of children under age 15 dying in a fire is slightly lower than that for the 

general population. However, when dividing the young into subgroups, 50% of all child 

fire deaths occur to those under age 5. These children usually are unable to escape from 

a fire independently. 

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

middle years, but rise again in the 10 to 14 age group. This is a different pattern than 

deaths, which decrease as children age. 

■ Boys are at slightly higher risk of death from fire than girls. 

■ African-American and American Indian/Alaska Native children are at an increased risk 

of death from fire.

I

t is an unfortunate fact that young children face an elevated risk of injury or death in a fire. Very young children 

typically are dependent to some degree on others for their 

safety. Older children are more mobile, but may not have 

sufficient abilities to protect themselves. Although many 

factors influence the risk children face, more often than not 

age—and more specifically immaturity—dominates. This 

Topical Fire Report provides a brief analysis of the fire risk 

for children between birth and age 14. It is an update to The 

Fire Risk to Children, Volume 4, Issue 8.

The concept of “risk” with respect to fire casualties can be 

addressed in several ways: absolute numbers of deaths and 

injuries, proportions (percent) of these casualties, rates (per 

unit, usually fires or population), and relative risk. Each 

measure is useful but in different ways, and each has its 

drawbacks. The absolute number of casualties is an important 

consideration—it is a concrete measure of the size or magnitude of the problem, but does not address the magnitude 

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

Yet, these proportions do not convey the magnitude of the 

problem as does the absolute number of casualties. Neither of 

these two measures is useful for comparisons across different groups. For comparison across groups, a common basis 

is used to determine rates. These rates then account for any 

differences in group sizes that might affect the magnitude of 

the problem.1

In comparing fire rates, the relative risk of dying or being 

injured is a helpful measure. The relative risk of a group is 

calculated by comparing its rate to the rate of the overall 

population. The result is a measure of how likely a particular 

group is to be affected. A detailed discussion of per capita 

rates and relative risk can be found in the Topical Fire Series 

report, Fire Risk in 2004 (Volume 7, Issue 5, February 2008). 

When evaluated in the aggregate, children have a relative 

risk of fire death similar to that of the general population. For 2004, however, this relative risk is lower than the 

general population. But grouping all children together from 

birth to age 14 can be misleading. The deaths and injuries 

are substantially higher for the youngest population, those 

children aged 4 and under. In this topical report, children 

are divided into age subgroups to better understand how 

risk varies as children grow older. The groupings are age 4 

and under, aged 5 to 9, and aged 10 to 14. 

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

National Fire Data Center • Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727

www.usfa.dhs.gov/statistics/reports/index.shtm
TFRS Volume 7, Issue 6/ Fire Risk to Children in 2004 Page 2

continued on next page

Who Is Affected 

In 2004, nearly 560 children under the age of 15 died as 

a result of fires (Table 1).2

 Children aged 14 and under 

accounted for 14% to 17% of fire deaths, depending on the 

data source.3

 The youngest children were especially hard 

hit—50% of child fire deaths affected children under the 

age of 5. For children under age 15 in 2004, deaths from 

fire and burns were the second leading cause of nontransportation accidental deaths.4

Table 1. Child Fire Deaths and Injuries, 2004.

Overall 

(Aged Birth to 14) Aged Birth to 4 Aged 5 to 9 Aged 10 to 14

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Deaths 558 100.0 279 50.0 182 32.6 97 17.4

Injuries 2,007 100.0 875 43.6 424 21.1 707 35.3

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), 2004 (deaths); 2004 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) 5.0 and 2004 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) (injuries).

Fire injuries affected an estimated 2,000 children in 2004. 

Again, the youngest suffered a large share of injuries—44% 

of child fire injuries occurred to children under age 5 (Table 

1). As in previous years, fire deaths declined with increasing 

age. Fire injuries, however, declined among the young preschoolers and the younger school-aged children (aged 5 to 

9) but rose for older children. With age groups combined, 

children accounted for 11% of all fire injuries. 

Age, demographics (e.g., gender), and socioeconomic 

factors of children and the households where they live all 

come into play in determining fire risk. Because fire deaths 

decrease as the age of the child increases, the likelihood of 

dying in a fire also decreases (Table 2). Children under age 

5 have approximately the same risk of dying in a fire as the 

general population. By the time a child reaches the 10 to 14 

age group, his/her risk of dying in a fire drops to 30% that 

of his/her youngest counterparts. Boys tend to be at greater 

risk than girls, with the most marked difference in the 5 to 9 

age group. African-American children are at greater risk than 

the national average—African-Americans comprise a large 

and disproportionate share of total fire deaths, accounting for 

38% of fire deaths among children in 2004. Improved from 

previous years, African-American children aged 4 and below 

still had a relative risk of dying that was 2.4 times higher than 

both the general population and for all children in that age 

group. For children of American Indians/Alaska Natives in 

2004, the relative risk also was above the general population 

(1.4), and in children 4 and under, the risk rose to 2.5. The 

absolute numbers of deaths here are quite low, but the population base is also very small.

Why Children Are At Risk 

Escaping from a fire can be difficult for children. A child 

aged 4 or under is usually too young to escape from a fire 

independently. Children of this age generally lack the mental 

faculties to understand the need and the means of quickly 

escaping a burning structure. As shown in Table 1, half 

of child fire fatalities and 44% of child fire injuries were 

among preschoolers. Even in their own homes, very young 

children lack an understanding of how to escape. 

Physiologically, young children are susceptible to severe 

injury or death from fire. A young child’s skin is quite thin 

compared to adults and older children. As a result, young 

children can suffer deep burns more rapidly.5

 Exposure 

to toxic byproducts of fire is especially serious to children—48% of fatalities in children under age 15 were the 

result of asphyxiation, as compared to 31% of older fatalities, aged 15 and above. 

In addition to not recognizing the danger, young children 

are curious and will touch and manipulate most items left 

within their reach. This includes matches, cigarette lighters, 

candles, stoves, and fireworks—all items that will readily 

harm a young child.
TFRS Volume 7, Issue 6/ Fire Risk to Children in 2004 Page 3

continued on next page

Table 2. Relative Risk of Child Fire Deaths by Age, Race, and Gender, 2004. 

Gender/Race Population Fire Deaths

Death Rate 

per Million Population Relative Risk

All Children (Aged Birth to 14)

Total 60,836,501 558 9.2 0.7

Male 31,132,191 314 10.1 0.7

Female 29,704,310 244 8.2 0.6

White 46,446,923 317 6.8 0.5

African-American 9,407,112 212 22.5 1.7

American Indian/ 

Alaska Native 706,524 13 18.4 1.4

Asian/Pacific 2,515,376 16 6.4 0.5

White Male 23,822,531 182 7.6 0.6

African-American Male 4,774,206 117 24.5 1.8

American Indian/ 

Alaska Native Male 358,833 9 25.1 1.8

Asian/Pacific Male 1,282,229 6 4.7 0.3

White Female 22,624,392 135 6.0 0.4

African-American Female 4,632,906 95 20.5 1.5

American Indian/ 

Alaska Native Female 347,691 4 11.5 0.8

Asian/Pacific Female 1,233,147 10 8.1 0.6

Aged Birth to 4

Total 20,069,872 279 13.9 1.0

Male 10,263,864 148 14.4 1.1

Female 9,806,008 131 13.4 1.0

White 15,338,079 169 11.0 0.8

African-American 3,020,864 98 32.4 2.4

American Indian/ 

Alaska Native 203,121 7 34.5 2.5

Asian/Pacific 866,510 5 5.8 0.4

White Male 7,856,780 92 11.7 0.9

African-American Male 1,532,399 50 32.6 2.4

American Indian/ 

Alaska Native Male 103,186 5 48.5 3.6

Asian/Pacific Male 444,641 1 2.2 0.2

White Female 7,481,299 77 10.3 0.8

African-American Female 1,488,465 48 32.2 2.4
TFRS Volume 7, Issue 6/ Fire Risk to Children in 2004 Page 4

continued on next page

Gender/Race Population Fire Deaths

Death Rate

per Million Population Relative Risk

American Indian/

Alaska Native Female 99,935 2 20.0 1.5

Asian/Pacific Female 421,869 4 9.5 0.7

Aged 5 to 9

Total 19,623,955 182 9.3 0.7

Male 10,038,541 117 11.7 0.9

Female 9,585,414 65 6.8 0.5

White 14,986,558 93 6.2 0.5

African-American 2,980,704 77 25.8 1.9

American Indian/

Alaska Native 236,610 5 21.1 1.6

Asian/Pacific 819,605 7 8.5 0.6

White Male 7,688,809 58 7.5 0.6

African-American Male 1,513,347 52 34.4 2.5

American Indian/

Alaska Native Male 120,580 3 24.9 1.8

Asian/Pacific Male 410,922 4 9.7 0.7

White Female 7,297,749 35 4.8 0.4

African-American Female 1,467,357 25 17.0 1.3

American Indian/

Alaska Native Female 116,030 2 17.2 1.3

Asian/Pacific Female 408,683 3 7.3 0.5

Aged 10 to 14

Total 21,142,674 97 4.6 0.3

Male 10,829,786 49 4.5 0.3

Female 10,312,888 48 4.7 0.3

White 16,122,286 55 3.4 0.3

African-American 3,405,544 37 10.9 0.8

American Indian/

Alaska Native 266,793 1 3.7 0.3

Asian/Pacific 829,261 4 4.8 0.4

White Male 8,276,942 32 3.9 0.3

African-American Male 1,728,460 15 8.7 0.6

American Indian/

Alaska Native Male 135,067 1 7.4 0.5

Asian/Pacific Male 426,666 1 2.3 0.2
TFRS Volume 7, Issue 6/ Fire Risk to Children in 2004 Page 5

Gender/Race Population Fire Deaths

Death Rate 

per Million Population Relative Risk

White Female 7,845,344 23 2.9 0.2

African-American Female 1,677,084 22 13.1 1.0

American Indian/ 

Alaska Native Female 131,726 0 0.0 0.0

Asian/Pacific Female 402,595 3 7.5 0.5

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 2004 Mortality Data; and U.S. population estimates from the Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau: 

Table 1: Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, and States and for Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (NST-EST2006-01); 

Table 1: Annual Estimates of the Population by Five-Year Age Groups and Sex for the United States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (NC-EST2006-01); 

Table 3: Annual Estimates of the Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic or Latino Origin for the United States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (NC-EST2006-03); 

Table 4: Annual Estimates of the White Alone Population by Age and Sex for the United States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (NC-EST2006-04-WA); 

Table 4: Annual Estimates of the Black or African-American Alone Population by Age and Sex for the United States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (NC-EST2006-04-BA); 

Table 4: Annual Estimates of the American Indian and Alaska Native Alone Population by Age and Sex for the United States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (NC-EST2006-04-IA); 

Table 4: Annual Estimates of the Asian Alone Population by Age and Sex for the United States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (NC-EST2006-04-AA); and

Table 4: Annual Estimates of the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Alone Population by Age and Sex for the United States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (NC-EST2006-04-NA).

Note: Relative risk may not compute due to rounding. 

The home is a dangerous place for young children: 

the majority of casualties to children under the age of 

15—approximately 91% of fatalities and 87% of injuries—

occurred in residential properties in 2004.6

Socioeconomic factors have an effect on the fire risk to the 

youngest and most dependent children. The danger of death 

or injury is closely tied to household income. Children in 

the poorest homes are exposed to the greatest risk. A number of factors contribute to this elevated threat: the poor 

often live in substandard housing in crowded conditions, 

children are more likely to be left alone than in affluent 

households, many of these children live in single-parent 

households, and there are more children to supervise.7

Efforts to Combat Risk

To help combat fire injuries in children, the U.S. Consumer 

Product Safety Commission (CPSC) set a mandatory safety 

standard that requires disposable lighters and certain novelty 

lighters to be child-resistant. These standards, set in 1994, 

cover more than 95% of the 600 million lighters purchased 

in the United States each year.8

 A study by the Directorate 

for Epidemiology of the CPSC found a 58% reduction in 

cigarette lighter fires caused by children, resulting in the 

prevention of 3,300 fires, 100 deaths, 660 injuries, and 

$52.5 million in property losses in 1998 alone.9

FBI statistics have suggested that children account for 

approximately half of all arrests for arson, and more than 

one-third were 12 or younger.10 The reasons for juvenile firesetting are various, and the research in this area is 

expanding our understanding of the problem. Nonetheless, 

young children appear to start fires as part of play in a 

relatively normal phase of development. Older juvenile 

firesetters often have psychological problems that may relate 

to emotional disturbance, juvenile delinquency, and other 

issues.11,12 Across the country, fire departments sponsor 

programs to identify juvenile firesetters, help provide the 

necessary intervention, and promote youth fire safety.

Smoke alarms are unanimously credited with saving thousands of lives each year. Dramatic gains in injury prevention 

and survival rates have been seen since the devices came 

onto the market in the 1970s. Newer studies, however, have 

questioned the efficacy of these alarms in alerting children. 

According to research conducted in Australia and Canada 

in the late 1990s, sleeping children do not respond appropriately to the alarm. Psychologist Dorothy Bruck, Victoria 

University, Australia, and her associates found that the risk 

factor changed when there was an adult around to wake 

the children, but many of the children remained groggy 

for some time and their responses were slowed.13 Further 

studies have shown an increased response to alarms that use 

parental voices in lieu of the standard tone alarm.14 While a 

limited number of voice-recordable alarms are available on 

the market, experts note that having a family fire and emergency exit plan are critical to saving lives in a fire.

continued on next page
TFRS Volume 7, Issue 6/ Fire Risk to Children in 2004 Page 6

Conclusion 

Children are some of the Nation’s most vulnerable residents 

and merit special attention to reduce their risk of injury 

or death from fire. Gains have been made in reducing fire 

deaths and injuries among children. CPSC continues to look 

at products that pose additional fire risks for children. Many 

education programs are available to teach young children 

and their caregivers about the dangers associated with fire, 

yet young children continue to die from fire-related injuries 

each year. 

Appropriate oversight of small children is one of the most 

effective means of preventing injury or death from all 

sources. A greater understanding of why children are at an 

elevated risk of death and injury from fire still is required. 

So, too, are strategies to lower that risk. A number of 

resources are available to help address the fire problem for 

children. Because children account for 14% to 17% of fire 

deaths and 11% of fire injuries, the U.S. Fire Administration 

(USFA) has been working toward the goal of reducing fire 

deaths and injuries to children. A number of resources to 

help address the fire problem for children and adults are 

available. USFA’s fire safety campaign for babies and toddlers at http://www.usfaparents.gov/ provides parents with 

home strategies ranging from the control of matches and 

lighters to home escape planning to protect young children 

from fire. 

To request additional information or to comment on this report, visit 

http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/applications/feedback/index.jsp

References:

1 In the case of fire casualties, this common basis is a population 

of 1 million, which means that fire rates are measured by incidents, deaths, or injuries per million persons. 

2 Fire deaths are extracted from the 2004 National Center for 

Health Statistics (NCHS) mortality data using International 

Classification of Disease (ICD) codes F63.1,W39−W40, 

X00−X09, X75−76, X96−97, Y25−26, and Y35.1 where these 

codes were noted as either the underlying cause of death or a 

contributing factor in the chain of events leading to death. Under 

these criteria, 3,993 deaths were extracted. Only deaths where age 

was specified were used in the analyses in the relative risk tables.

3National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) version 5.0 

data for 2004 indicates 17% of fire deaths occurred in the 14 and 

under age group; data extracted from NCHS indicate these deaths 

are 14% of all fire deaths for 2004. 

4NCHS, “Deaths: Final Data for 2004.” National Vital Statistics Reports, 

Vol. 55, No. 19, August 21, 2007, revised October 10, 2007. This 

ranking excludes “other and unspecified nontransport” causes. As 

a group, “other and unspecified nontransport” causes are larger 

than the leading specified nontransport causes. 

5 Fire Smart, http://www.nfpa.org/RiskWatch/topfireburn.html

6NFIRS version 5.0 data, 2004.

7 Socioeconomic Factors and the Incidence of Fire. U.S. Fire Administration 

(USFA), FA 170, June 1997.

8

 “Child−Resistant Lighters Protect Young Children.” CPSC 

Document #5021, http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5021.

html

9

 “Study of the effectiveness of the US safety standard for child 

resistant cigarette lighters.” Injury Prevention 2002:8: 192-196. 

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

10 Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Fact Sheet. 

“Juvenile Arson, 1997.” Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, February 1999. http://

www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/fs9991.pdf

11 Juvenile Justice Bulletin “Juvenile Firesetting: A Research 

Overview.” U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, May 2005. 

http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/207606.pdf

12 Intentional Fires and Arson. NFPA, November 2007. 

13 Dorothy Bruck. “Non-awakening in children in response to 

a smoke detector alarm.” Fire Safety Journal, Vol. 32, Issue 4, June 

1999, pp. 369-376. 

14 Smith, Gary, et al. “Comparison of a Personalized Parent Voice 

Smoke Alarm With a Conventional Residential Tone Smoke Alarm 

for Awakening Children.” Pediatrics, Vol. 118, No. 4, October 2006, 

pp. 1623-1632, online at: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/

cgi/content/full/118/4/1623