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Residential Building Other Unintentional, Careless Fire Trends (2013-2022)

National estimates

The 2022 national estimates for residential building other unintentional, careless fires and losses show that there were:

  • 33,000 fires.
  • 665 deaths.
  • 1,375 injuries.
  • $2,289,200,000 in dollar loss.

Overall trends

Overall trends for residential building other unintentional, careless fires and losses for the 10-year period of 2013 to 2022 show the following:

  • A 49% increase in fires.
  • A 44% increase in deaths.
    In 2018, there were 16 reported multifatality fire incidents, 18 in 2019, 9 in 2020, 15 in 2021 and 23 in 2022. These multifatality fire incidents may have contributed to the increase in the estimates of fire deaths.
  • A 51% increase in injuries.
    In 2020 and 2021, 64 and 68 reported multiple injury fire incidents, respectively, may have contributed to the increase in the estimates of fire injuries. The 2020 multiple injury fire incidents included a high-rise apartment building fire in Bronx, New York, with 29 injuries.
  • A 74% increase in dollar loss*.
    In 2018, there were 33 incidents with a reported dollar loss of $1,000,000 or more, 30 in 2019, 24 in 2020, 42 in 2021 and 58 in 2022. These incidents may have contributed to the continued increase in fire dollar loss. The 2021 high-dollar loss fires included a $20,000,000 large residential fire in Palo Alto, California. The 2022 high-dollar loss fires included a $10,900,000 house fire in Iron Mountain, Michigan, and a $10,400,000 apartment building fire in Tacoma, Washington.
*This overall constant dollar-loss trend takes inflation into account by adjusting each year's dollar loss to its equivalent 2022 value.

Fires, deaths, injuries and dollar loss (2013-2022)

Residential building other unintentional, careless fires (2013-2022)

2013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Fires21000220002450024200264002860027200278002980033000

Residential building other unintentional, careless fire deaths (2013-2022)

2013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Deaths465450440480435545585500575665

Residential building other unintentional, careless fire injuries (2013-2022)

2013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Injuries1075107513501325130014501650180017001375

Residential building other unintentional, careless fire dollar loss (2013-2022)

YearDollar loss
20131307700000
20141357500000
20151535500000
20161430300000
20171649700000
20181842000000
20191798200000
20201894900000
20212098800000
20222289200000
2013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Dollar loss1.31.41.51.41.61.81.81.92.12.3