Arson is both the third leading cause of residential fires and residential fire deaths . In commercial properties, arson is the major cause of deaths, injuries and dollar loss. The fire death risk among seniors is more than double the average population. The fire death risk for children under age 5 is nearly double the risk of the average population . Children under the age of 10 accounted for an estimated 17 percent of all fire deaths in 1996.
Men die or are injured in fires almost twice as often as women.
African Americans and American Indians have significantly higher death rates per capita than the national average. Although African Americans comprise 13 percent of the population, they account for 26 percent of fire deaths. A working smoke alarm dramatically increases a person's chance of surviving a fire. Approximately 88 percent of U.S. homes have at least one smoke alarm. However, these alarms are not always properly maintained and as a result might not work in an emergency.