From the National Fire Protection Association "Home Structure Fires" report, issued in Oct. 2019, which reviews a five-year period from 2013 to 2017:
* More than 27 percent of reported fires occurred in homes.
* Seventy-nine percent of fire deaths and 73 percent of all reported injuries were caused by home fires.
* During this five-year period, US fire departments responded to an estimated average of 354,400 home structure fires per year.
* These fires caused an annual average of 2,620 civilian deaths, 11,220 civilian fire injuries and $6.9 billion in direct property damage.
* Most home fires and fire casualties result from five causes: cooking, heating, electrical distribution and lighting equipment, intentional fire setting and smoking.
* Cooking was the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries, while smoking was the leading cause of fire deaths.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
