- Author
-
Shelton, J. W.
- Title
- Analysis of Fire Reports on File in the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal's Office Relating to Wood and Coal Heating Equipment.
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
Department of Energy, Washington, DC
- Report
-
NBS GCR 78-149,
November 1978,
9 p.
- Contract
- GRANT-NB79NAAA1576
- Keywords
-
accident investigations
|
chimneys
|
coal
|
creosote
|
fire departments
|
fire safety
|
heating equipment
|
maintenance
|
stoves
|
wood
- Abstract
- An analysis of solid-fuel related fires reported by local fire departments to the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal's Office from late 1977 through June, 1978 indicates that of the fires attributed to specific causes, roughly 3/4 were attributed to unsafe installations, and about 1/4 were attributed to unsafe operation/maintenance. In less than 2 percent of the fires was the cause attributed to defects or poor design in the heating appliance itself. Thus, to the extent that the local fire department reports are complete and reliable, it appears that attention to installation, operation and maintenance is what has the most potential for reducing fires.