Catastrophic multiple-death fires

Report: NFPA's "Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires in 2021"
Author: Stephen G. Badger
Issued: October 2022

Report

Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires in 2021

This report contains overall statistics from NFPA's annual study of catastrophic multiple-death fires, defined as fires or explosions in homes or apartments that result in five or more fire-related deaths, or fires or explosions in all other structures and outside of structures, such as wildfires and vehicle fires that claim three or more lives. The data for this study is obtained by the NFPA from fire department official reports as well as information from the state fire marshal’s office, and official government agency documentation.

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Report highlights

• In 2021, there were two catastrophic non-structure fires, resulting in six deaths.
• Fourteen catastrophic multiple-death fires in 2021 resulted in 65 deaths.
• There were ten catastrophic multiple-death home fires in 2021. Six of these occurred in single-family dwellings and four occurred in apartment buildings. These fires killed 53 people. Seventeen of the victims were children under the age of six
• Two of the fires were in non-home structures, resulting in six deaths. 

Related information 

• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2020
• Home fires with 10 or more fatalities
• Deadliest fires and explosions by property class
• Deadliest single building or complex fires and explosions
• Deadliest fires in apartment buildings
• Deadliest fires and explosions in US history
• Deadliest fires or explosions in the world
• Deadliest fires in retail properties since 1970

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