Report: NFPA's Electrical Fires
Author: Richard Campbell
Issued: February 2022
Report highlights
Fire departments responded to an estimated average of 46,700 home fires involving electrical failure or malfunction each year in 2015–2019.
- These fires caused an estimated average of 390 civilian deaths and 1,330 civilian injuries each year in 2015–2019, as well as an estimated $1.5 billion in direct property damage a year.
- Electrical failures or malfunctions were the second leading cause of electrical home fires in 2015–2019 accounting for 13% of home structure fires.
- Three in ten fires (30%) involving electrical failure or malfunction occurred in the cold weather months from November through February.
- Arcing served as the heat source in over three in five fires (63%) of home fires involving an electrical failure or malfunction in 2015–2019.
Fire departments responded to an estimated average of 32,160 home fires involving electrical distribution and lighting equipment each year in 2015–2019.
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These fires caused an estimated average of 430 civilian deaths and 1,070 civilian injuries each year in 2015-2019, as well as an estimated $1.3 billion in direct property damage a year.
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Home fires involving electrical distribution and lighting equipment most often originated in a bedroom.
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Wiring and related equipment was involved in just over two-thirds of home fires caused by electrical distribution and lighting equipment.
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Approximately one-quarter of these fires occurred between midnight and 8 a.m., but they accounted for just over half of the deaths.
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