Evening star., 1937-02-13
DWELLING FIRES
HOLDING BIG LEAD
Insurance Figures Reveal 55
Per Cent of 100000 Total
in U. S. in 1885.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, February 13.-Ffty-
five per cent of the 100000 fires in the
United States in 1885, the latest period
for which estimates are available, oc-
Cured in dwellings, and caused 1913
per cent of the $249, 100000 total fire
loss, according to figures announced
today by the Continental and the
Fidelity-Phenix Fire Insurance Cos.
The next most frequent place of fires
was mercantile establishments, in
which per cent Of the total blazes
occurred, causing 1873 per cent of the
total damage.
The figures were computed from
National Fire Protection Association
estimates Of Nationwide losses by oc-
cupancy classes, based on reports from
q representative group of States.
Though cottages and cabins were
included as dwellings, the classification
did not take in apartment buildings,
fats and rooming houses, in which
another per cent of all fires occurred,
causing 2.6 per cent Of total losses;
while hotels and boarding houses were
the scene Of still another 0.9 per cent
Of the fires, with per cent Of the
losses. Thus, 10000 fires, more than
so per cent of the Nations total,
occurred in places Of residence, re-
sulting in 500, ,488, 900 damage. or over
81 per cent of the years total fire
losses.
S22O Avera pe INSS
The average" losses from fires in
dwellings, cabins and cottages was
computed at $500; in apartment build
ings, fats and rooming houses it was
$244 and in hotels and boarding
houses, $500. The average loss in
mercantile blazes was $1,120.
THE significance of these figures
lies in the tremendous totals, both
Of the number Of fires and the losses
caused" said Curtis w. Pierce, vice
president. obviously, sa average
fire is a rarity, if it occurs at all. But
the calculation Of this mythical figure
serves to emphasize an important
point. There were thousands of losses
below it-and other thousands above.
Virtually every one of those smaller
losses was kept belov the avera by
prompt and efficient action. Yet
every one-every single fire of the
290,800 which threatened residences
might have destroyed everything
within reach. In thousands of those
cases there was the risk. not Of a
small loss, or an average loss-but
the maximum loss. The same holds
true in other classiflcations, many Of
which showed much greater damage
from individual fires"
Other Average Losses.
Other average losses computed
from the long list Of classiflcations
were: Garages, S240; restaurants and
saloons, $3.50; barns and stables, ST.
030; schools, colleges, etc., $4,000;
factories, $2,270: theaters and mo-
tion picture houses, $2,560; ware
houses, $4,000; -four and feed mills,
$500; elevators, granaries and grain
warehouses, $500; oil storage plants,
reflneries, wells ETC., $3.50, and lunl-
ber yards. S6,320.
The greatest number of fires, next
to the 100000 in residences and the
34,l00 in mercantile establishment s,
occurred in automobiles, buses and
trucks, outside Of buildings There
were 32,100 of this classification.
Barns and stables were the scene of
26,300 fires, garages, public and pri-
vate, 10000; sheds, S,700; factories,
$500, and restaurants and saloons,
$500.
The heaviest total losses, after the
S93,488,000 incurred in residential
fires, were those in mercantile blazes,
where the damage was S38,2OO,0O
Next came barns and stables, with
$27,200000 losses; factories, s1s,85T,-
600; warehouses, $11,02O,00O; ele-
vatorS, granaries and grain ware
houses, $4,000 garages, public and
private, s4,95O,oOO; schools, colleges,
seminaries, s4,42o,oOo: churches, S.
$4,000. and restaurants and saloons,
S3,296.O0O.