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National estimates
The 2020 national estimates for the leading causes of nonresidential building fire dollar loss show that there was:
- $539,200,000 loss from other unintentional, careless fires.
- $536,300,000 loss from intentional fires.
- $425,900,000 loss from electrical malfunction fires
Overall trends
Overall trends in the leading causes of fire dollar loss for the 10-year period of 2011 to 2020 show the following:
- Other unintentional, careless fires as the leading cause of nonresidential building fire dollar loss in 9 years out of the 10-year period.
- A 27% increase in nonresidential other unintentionally or carelessly set fire dollar loss.
- A 54% increase in nonresidential intentional fire dollar loss.
A $26,465,000 San Francisco, California, building supply warehouse fire with several exposures and a $17,000,000 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, fire reported in a mercantile or business property contributed to the increase in fire dollar loss in 2020. - A 20% increase in nonresidential electrical malfunction fire dollar loss.
The overall constant dollar-loss trend takes inflation into account by adjusting each year's dollar loss to its equivalent 2020 value.
Leading causes of nonresidential building fire dollar-loss (2011-2020)
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other unintentional, careless | 319.3 | 375.0 | 626.2 | 422.1 | 579.8 | 581.9 | 495.7 | 521.5 | 438.3 | 539.2 |
| Cause under investigation | 159.9 | 157.0 | 153.9 | 222.8 | 185.0 | 319.0 | 208.4 | 117.2 | 239.1 | 165.4 |
| Electrical malfunction | 348.1 | 354.7 | 414.6 | 322.3 | 425.5 | 317.9 | 455.8 | 384.9 | 415.7 | 425.9 |
| Exposure | 194.8 | 96.0 | 165.5 | 159.1 | 162.2 | 272.0 | 151.2 | 108.5 | 208.6 | 260.3 |
| Other equipment | 556.2 | 320.5 | 170.5 | 151.1 | 253.3 | 242.9 | 240.8 | 361.3 | 279.6 | 220.2 |
| Intentional | 212.5 | 303.2 | 211.4 | 211.5 | 203.1 | 222.2 | 236.4 | 167.6 | 180.0 | 536.3 |
| Equipment malfunction | 201.3 | 306.2 | 227.1 | 215.9 | 219.0 | 167.5 | 245.1 | 244.9 | 260.6 | 258.2 |
| Natural | 202.7 | 198.3 | 109.2 | 172.9 | 168.8 | 204.2 | 160.1 | 128.4 | 275.3 | 174.1 |