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Residential Building Electrical Malfunction Fire Trends (2011‑2020)

National estimates

The 2020 national estimates for residential building electrical malfunction fires and losses show that there were:

  • 23,400 fires.
  • 200 deaths.
  • 975 injuries.
  • $1,135,900,000 in dollar loss.

Overall trends

Overall trends for residential building electrical malfunction fires and losses for the 10-year period of 2011 to 2020 show the following:

  • A 2% increase in fires.
  • A 25% decrease in deaths.
  • A 10% decrease in injuries.
  • An 18% increase in dollar loss.*
    In 2018 and 2019, there were 32 and 14 incidents, respectively, with a reported dollar loss of $1,000,000 or more, which may have contributed to the continued increase in fire dollar loss. The 2019 high-dollar-loss fires included a $26,400,000 hotel fire in New Orleans, Louisiana.
*This overall constant dollar-loss trend takes inflation into account by adjusting each year’s dollar loss to its equivalent 2020 value.

Fires, deaths, injuries and dollar loss

Residential building electrical malfunction fires

2011201220132014201520162017201820192020
Fires26800202002310023900245002350024100257002420023400

Residential building electrical malfunction fire deaths

2011201220132014201520162017201820192020
Deaths280210335325290310200255225200

Residential building electrical malfunction fire injuries

2011201220132014201520162017201820192020
Injuries12009008759258508007508251050975

Residential building electrical malfunction fire dollar loss

YearDollar loss
20111175100000
2012918100000
20131027000000
20141016000000
20151036500000
2016978100000
20171116900000
20181265100000
20191223200000
20201135900000