Of those, approximately 80 percent occur in single-family homes and duplexes. At least 640 fire deaths occur in apartments each year. Smoke detectors and smolder-resistant bedding and upholstered furniture are significant fire deterrents. Arson is the second leading cause of residential fires and residential fire deaths. In commercial properties, arson is the major cause of deaths, injuries and dollar loss.
Alternative heaters are the third leading cause of residential fire deaths.
Heater fires are the leading cause of fire deaths in the southeastern U.S., whereas wood stoves are a serious problem in the northern U.S. Cooking is the leading cause of apartment fires and the second most frequent cause of single family residential fires. These fires often result from unattended cooking and human error, rather than mechanical failures of stoves or ovens. A working smoke detector doubles a person's chance of surviving a fire. Approximately 90 percent of U.S. homes have at least one smoke detector. Nearly half the residential fires and three fifths of the residential fatalities occur in homes with no smoke detectors.