News/Information Details
Monday, June 08, 2009
Focus on Fire Safety: Smoking
From U.S. Fire Administration Website
Focus on Fire Safety: Smoking
Every year, almost 1,000 smokers and non-smokers are killed in home fires caused by cigarettes and other smoking materials. Fires caused by cigarettes and other smoking materials are preventable. You can make a difference!
The Facts
Smoking is the leading cause of home fire deaths in the United States. People close to where a smoking material fire starts are harder to save because the fire spreads fast. Most fires caused by smoking material start on beds, furniture, or in the trash.
In 2006, there were an estimated 142,900 smoking-material fires in the United States. These fires caused 780 civilian fire deaths and 1,600 civilian injuries.
Smokers aren’t the only ones who suffer from smoking home fires:
- One in four people killed in home fires is not a smoker whose cigarette caused the fire.
- Thirty-four percent are children of the smokers.
- Twenty-five percent are neighbors or friends of the smokers.
Older adults are at the highest risk of death or injury from smoking-material fires even though they are less likely to smoke.
For more information check out this link