Non residential structure fires

Non-residential structure fires by year Click graphs for larger image.

Year   Fires   Civilian deaths   Civilian injuries Direct property damage
(In billions)1
As reported
Direct property damage
(In billions)
In 2011 dollars
 
1977   348,000  3702   3,710   $1.9 $7.2
1978   331,500  165  3,725  $1.8 $6.3
1979   315,000  205  4,400   $2.4 $7.6
1980   307,500  229   3,625   $2.4 $6.6
1981   294,500  220   5,325  $2.7 $6.7
1982   270,000  260   4,475  $2.5 $5.8
1983   227,000  270  4,700   $2.5 $5.7
1984   225,000  285  3,750   $2.5 $5.3
1985   237,500   240  3,525 $2.7 $5.6
1986   218,500  215  3,725   $2.3 $4.7
1987   206,500  220  3,375  $2.5 $5.0
1988   192,500   215   3,675   $3.2 $6.0
1989   174,500   220  3,275  $3.5 $6.4
1990   157,000  2853   3,425   $2.5 $4.2
1991   162,500  190   3,125   $2.84 $4.64
1992   165,500  175  2,725 $3.1 $4.9
1993   151,500   155 3,9505   $2.66 $4.06
1994   163,000   125   3,100  $2.6 $3.9
1995   148,000   2907   2,600 $3.38 $4.88
1996   150,500  140   2,575   $3.0 $4.3
1997   145,500 120   2,600 $2.5 $3.5
1998   136,000   170   2,250   $2.3 $3.2
1999   140,000   120   2,100   $3.4 $4.6
2000   126,000   90   2,200   $2.8 $3.7
20019   125,000   80   1,650   $3.2 $4.1
2002   118,000   80   1,550  $2.7 $3.4
2003   117,500   22010   1,525   $2.611  $3.211 
2004 115,500 80 1,350 $2.4 $2.8
2005  115,000  50   1,500   $2.3 $2.7
2006 111,500 85 1,425 $2.6 $2.9
2007  116,500 105   1,350 $3.112 $3.312
2008 112,000 120 1,400 $3.813 $4.013
2009 103,500 105 1,690 $3.0 $3.2
2010 98,000 90 1,620 $2.6 $2.7
2011 98,500 90 1,275 $2.6 $2.6

1 Individual incidents with large loss can affect the total for a given year. Note the following:
The 1988 figure includes a Norco, Louisiana petroleum refinery with a loss of $330 million. The 1989 figure includes a Pasedena, Texas polyolefin plant with a loss of $750 million.

2 Includes 165 deaths at the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in Southgate,  Kentucky.

3 Includes 87 deaths at the Happy Land social club fire in New York City (N.Y.C.).

4 Does not include $1.5 billion in damage caused by Oakland Fire Storm.

5 Includes 1,024 injuries that occurred at the World  Trade  Centerexplosion and fire in N.Y.C.

6 Does not include Southern California Wildfire with a loss of $809 million.

7 Includes 168 deaths that occurred at the federal office building fire in Oklahoma City,  OK.

8 Includes an Oklahoma City, OK office building with a loss of $135 million, a Georgia manufacturing plant fire with a loss of $200 million and a Massachusetts industrial complex fire with a loss of $500 million.

9 Does not include the events of 9/11/01, where there were 2,451 civilian deaths, 800 civilian injuries and $33.44 billion in property loss.

10 This includes 100 fire deaths in the Station Nightclub FIre in Phode Island and 31 deaths in two nursing home fires in Connecticut and Tennessee.

11 This does not include the Southern California Wildfires with an estimated property damage of $2 billion.

12 This does not include the California Fire Storm 2007 with an estimated property damage of $1.8 billion.

13 Does not include the California wildfires 2008.

The term non-residential includes public assembly, educational, institutional, store and office, industry, utility, storage and special structure properties.

Direct property damage figures do not include indirect losses, like business interruption. Inflation adjustment to 2008 dollars is done using the consumer price index.

Source: Fire Loss in the United States 2011, Michael J. Karter, Jr., September 2012 and previous reports in the series.

Updated: 9/12

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