- Author
- Hall, J. R., Jr.
- Title
- Children Playing With Fire.
- Coporate
- National Fire Protection Assoc., Quincy, MA
- Distribution
- AVAILABLE FROM: NFPA One Stop Data Shop, 1 Batterymarch Park, P.O. Box 9101, Quincy, MA 02269-9101. Telephone: 617-984-7540, Fax: 617-984-7478, Email: [email protected]. Website: http://www.nfpa.org
- Keywords
- children | fire statistics | home fires | heat sources
- Identifiers
- defining fire play; patterns of child playing fires; what can be done about child-playing fires
- Abstract
- In 1999, an estimated 41,900 child-playing fires were reported in the U.S., with associated losses of 165 civilian deaths, 1,901 civilian injuries, and $272 million in direct damage. Most child-playing structure fires that are not in homes occur in properties associated with homes or, less often, in properties associated with children (e.g., schools). Most child-playing home fires are started with lighters or matches. When home fire play involves equipment, the most common type is the range, stove, or oven. The items ignited by home fire play are principally mattresses, bedding, or clothing, followed by upholstered furniture, trash, and papers. The majority of child-playing home fires begin in the bedroom. The median age of children who start reported fires by playing is 5 years old, compared to a median age of 3 years old for fatal victims and a median age in the early 20s for non-fatal injuries.