House Fires Leading Cause of Accidental Death
The U.S. Fire Administration states that house fires are still a leading cause of accidental death and injury. Even with efforts for better fire safety and stricter electrical codes, between 2008 and 2010 approximately 13,000 people were injured in house fires.
The USFA’s data also shows that 76% of all civilian fire resulted from residential fires. Cooking fires have been the number one cause of house fires. They account for 30% of the total number of injuries. Further, approximately 35% of those injured in cooking fires tried to extinguish the fire before finally leaving the premises. Smoke inhalation and burns account for 79% of all house fire injuries.
An average of 4,400 people per year died in house fires between 1994 and 1998, and approximately 25,100 were injured, according to burnsurvivor.com. Burnsurvivor is a website dedicated to burn victims and their families. These statistics do not include injuries or deaths from industrial accidents and chemical spills. As an aside, the United States has one of the highest rates of deaths caused by burns in the industrialized world.
A local Tustin woman died on her second-floor apartment balcony recently as she attempted to escape a house fire. One of her neighbors was badly burned attempting to rescue her and was taken to a local hospital in serious condition. The cause of the fire was not immediately apparent as would be in the case of a cooking fire. It is a possibility that faulty wiring may have been the cause, in which case, the woman’s family may have a wrongful death claim against the building’s owner.
Another cause of house fires is portable space heaters, with approximately 47,000 fires caused in 2006 alone. In 2008, QVC recalled approximately 28,000 defective space heaters. The heaters in question were given to overheating, which is a definite fire hazard. It should be stated that while no injuries were reported, there were nine reports of visible flames in or around the units. There was an additional 70 reports of overheating, smoking, sparking, melting, and burning odors.
If a heating system, such as a space heater, is the cause of a house fire there is likely a product defect claim against the manufacturer. Defective products cause a great deal of damage to innocent purchasers every day. The key to successfully pursuing such a claim is preservation of the space heater so it can be examined for defects.
As has been said, “the best offense is a good defense.” Make sure to read all of the instructions and guides that come with electrical appliances, particularly space heaters and other “hot” items. Learn the proper methods to extinguish cooking fires. For example, NEVER throw water on a grease fire as it will spread quickly. Grease fires must be smothered, either with pan lids or flour.
As with all personal injury cases, if it can be proved that the damages caused by the fire were due to the negligence of another, the victims and their families have an opportunity to file a claim for compensation. Compensation may include payment of medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. In the worst cases, victims’ families may file a claim for wrongful death. The damages in wrongful death claims can include compensation for loss of love and companionship, loss of future financial support, loss of household services, and funeral and burial expenses.