Where Do Fires Begin?
The more you know about where fires begin, the better prepared you will be to prevent them. Here is some information from the National Fire Protection Association that may help in your fire prevention efforts.
- Schools: The highest percentage of school fires originate in lavatories or locker rooms (23%), followed by the kitchen (13%), classrooms or assembly areas (7%) and corridors or hallways (7%). Forty-six percent of these fires are intentionally set.
- Churches: The largest percentage (18%) of church fires originate in structural areas (exterior walls and ceiling/roof assemblies). One-quarter of these fires result from electrical distribution. Seventeen percent begin in worship, meeting or classroom areas, one-third of which are arson related.
- Restaurants: Not surprisingly, cooking is the primary cause of fires (64%). Cooking materials are the most frequent item first ignited (33%), followed by electrical wiring (8%).
- Construction Sites: The two leading causes of fire are incendiary/suspicious (41%) and open flame (30%). Arson is one and one-half times more frequent in construction settings than any other category.
