Probability of Dying in a Fire or from Smoke Inhalation

Fire and smoke inhalation kill approximately 3,700 Americans each year, with lifetime odds of about 1 in 788 according to the National Safety Council. Home fires account for the vast majority of fire deaths, with cooking being the leading cause of home fires and smoking being the leading cause of fire deaths.

Risk factors include lack of working smoke alarms (three out of five home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or non-working alarms), smoking indoors, unattended cooking, faulty heating equipment, electrical problems, and candles. Children under 5 and adults over 65 have the highest fire death rates. Low-income households and rural areas are disproportionately affected.

Working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by approximately 50%. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, test them monthly, and replace batteries annually. Create and practice a home escape plan with two ways out of every room. Other prevention measures include never leaving cooking unattended, keeping flammable materials away from heat sources, having heating equipment inspected annually, and using flameless candles.