Residential Building Fire Death Causes (2014-2023)

National estimates

The 2023 national estimates for the leading causes of residential building fire deaths show that there were:

• 625 other unintentional, careless fire deaths.
• 560 cause-under-investigation fire deaths.
• 305 electrical malfunction fire deaths.
• 290 intentional fire deaths.
• 255 smoking fire deaths.

Overall trends

Overall trends in the leading fire death causes for the 10-year period of 2014 to 2023 show the following:

• Other unintentional, careless was the leading cause of residential fire deaths in 9 years out of the 10-year period.
• There was a 50% increase in residential other unintentionally or carelessly set fire deaths.
  In 2018, there were 16 reported multifatality fire incidents, 18 in 2019, 9 in 2020, 15 in 2021, 23 in 2022 and 12 in 2023. These reported multifatality fire incidents may have contributed to the increase in the estimates of fire deaths.
• Cause under investigation was the leading or second leading cause of residential fire deaths 7 years out of the 10-year period.
• There was a 78% increase in residential cause-under-investigation fire deaths.
  In 2019, there were 10 reported multifatality fire incidents, 18 in 2020, 11 in 2021, 19 in 2022 and 11 in 2023. These multifatality fire incidents may have contributed to the increase in the estimates of fire deaths.
• A 19% decrease in residential electrical malfunction fire deaths.
• A 3% decrease in residential intentional fire deaths and a 20% decrease in residential smoking fire deaths.