Arson is the third leading cause of residential fires and the second leading cause of residential fire deaths. In commercial properties, arson is the major cause of deaths, injuries, and dollar loss. Who is Most at Risk Senior citizens and children under the age of five have the greatest risk of fire death. The fire death risk among seniors is more than double the average population. The fire death risk for children under age five is nearly double the risk of the average population.
Men die or are injured in fires twice as often as women.
Lives A working smoke alarm dramatically increases a person's chance of surviving a fire. However, these alarms are not always properly maintained and as a result might not work in an emergency. There has been a disturbing increase over the last ten years in the number of fires that occur in homes with non-functioning alarms. Residential sprinklers have become more cost effective for homes. Currently, few homes are protected by them.