- Author
- Flynn, J. D.
- Title
- U. S. Structure Fires in Dormitories, Fraternities, Sororities and Barracks.
- Coporate
- National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA
- Report
- NFPA No. PKG04, August 2007, 49 p.
- Keywords
- dormitories | universities | fire statistics | fire departments | death | injuries | costs | damage | building fires | structures | NFIRS | surveys | cooking | methodology
- Identifiers
- dormitory, fraternity, sorority and barrack structure fires fact sheet; how national estimates statistics are calculated; methodology and definitions used in 'leading cuases' tables; fatal college/university fraternity and sorority house fires listing
- Abstract
- In 2002-2005, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 3,300 structure fires in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and barracks. These fires caused an annual average of 7 civilian deaths, 46 civilian fire injuries, and $25 million in direct property damage. Fires in these properties accounted for 0.6% of all reported structure fires within the same time period. These estimates are based on data from the U.S. Fire Administration's (USFA) National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) annual fire department experience survey. Cooking equipment was involved in 72% of reported structure fires, including 68% of which were confined cooking fires. Only 6% of fires in these properties began in the bedroom, but these fires accounted for 67% of the civilian deaths and 29% of civilian fire injuries. Fires in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and barracks are more common during the evening hours, between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m., as well as on weekends.