Catastrophic multiple-death fires

Report: NFPA's "Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires in 2019"
Author: Stephen G. Badger
Issued: September 2020

Report

Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires in 2018

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 responding fire departments.

Read the report.

Report highlights

• Nineteen catastrophic multiple-death fires in 2019 resulted in 116 deaths.
• The deadliest fire in 2019 was a dive-boat fire in California that killed 34 people. 
• The deadliest structure fires in 2019 each killing six occurred; in a single-family house in Wisconsin and two apartment buildings, one in New York and one in Nevada for a total of 18 deaths with 4 being under the age of six.
• Seven of the fires were in homes, resulting in 38 deaths, with 11 of the victims under age six.
• Nine of the fires were in non-home structures, resulting in 32 deaths. with four of the victims under age six
• There were three non-structure fires, all vehicles resulting in 46 deaths.

Related information 

• 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

Older versions of the report

• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2018
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2017
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2016 (PDF)
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2015 (PDF)
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2014 (PDF)
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2013 (PDF)
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2012 (PDF)
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2011 (PDF)
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2010 (PDF)
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2009 (PDF)
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2008 (PDF)
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires for 2007 (PDF)
• Catastrophic Multiple Death Fires for 2006 (PDF)
• Multiple-Death Fires for 2005 (PDF)
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires in the United States - 2004 (PDF)
• Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires in the United States - 2003 (PDF)

Contact us

Please contact us with any questions.