FireDOC Search

Author
Hall, J. R., Jr.
Title
Home Fires Involving Heating Equipment.
Coporate
National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA
Report
USS09, November 2007, 172 p.
Keywords
home fires | heating equipment | furnaces | wood | stoves | fireplaces | chimneys | fire statistics | heaters | residential buildings | death | injuries | damage
Identifiers
space heaters; water heaters; wood stove; heat tape; overview of heating equipment fires; central heating units; heat lamps
Abstract
In 2005, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 62,200 reported home structure fires, 670 civilian deaths, 1,550 civilian injuries, and $909 million in direct property damage. In 2005, most home heating fire deaths (73%), injuries (64%), and direct property damage (57%) involved stationary or portable space heaters. Chimneys and chimney connectors accounted for the largest share of home heating fires (36%). Space heating poses a much higher risk of fire, death, injury, and loss per million users than central heating. Comparisons of risk among different types of space heaters or different types of central heating show no clear, consistent, significant differences.