6 Top Causes of Electrical Fires (With Official Statistics)

Chris HuntAbout the Author: Hi! I'm Chris Hunt, and I wrote this article. With years of experience as a former firefighter and knowledge of combustible materials, I have personally researched and compiled the information presented here. Please note that the content provided is solely my opinion and should not be construed as professional advice. Additionally, I do not guarantee the quality or performance of any of the products featured. Please be sure to review the website's Disclaimer, Terms and Conditions before using the site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases (without additional cost or expense to you).

Electrical fires are among the most common household fires in Canada and the United States. Firefighters in the United States respond to 44,880 home fires caused by electrical failure every year. These fires lead to 440 deaths annually and $1.3 billion in damages.

The NFPA recently released an official report on electrical fires and their causes in the USA. This article summarizes and analyzes key findings, including the latest available figures on electrical fires in the United States.

Most Common Causes of Electrical Fires

The six most common causes of electrical fires are:

  1. Household Wiring, Lighting, and Power Cords (50%)
  2. Cooking Equipment (15%)
  3. Heating Equipment (9%)
  4. Fans (6%)
  5. Air Conditioners (3%)
  6. Clothes Dryers (3%)

(Note that some electrical fires had ‘other’ unattributed causes, so these figures do not add up to 100%).

Faulty Wiring

1. Household Wiring, Lighting, and Power Cords (50%)

Wires that carry power around the home cause an overwhelmingly high number of electrical fires. If we dig deeper into these figures, 67% of the fires in this first category are related directly to issues with electrical wiring (that means that wiring issues cause about 33% of all home electrical).

The takeaway? Make sure you use a professional certified electrician to do your home wiring!

Other electrical items in this category include lamps, bulbs, plugs, cords, and transformers.

Overloaded power boards, for example, are a severe problem –  over 5,300 house fires are caused yearly due to full power boards! So make sure you only use the allocated number of outlets on a power board and never stack power boards.

Some good electrical safety tips include:

  • Replace old cords on electrical devices, particularly if you can see that they are frayed or loose.
  • Only use one high-wattage device per power board.
  • Avoid “cube taps.” These are devices that allow you to plug multiple devices into one outlet.
  • Get a qualified electrician to install more power outlets to minimize the use of extension cords.
  • Read manufacturer instructions on how to connect devices to power outlets.

2. Cooking Equipment (15%)

Kitchen fires account for over 50% of all household fires, but not all are electrical fires. Instead, many kitchen fires are due to burning food and oil spills.

Electrical fires involving kitchen appliances account for just 15% of all electrical-type fires. However, faulty toasters, electric stoves, and other devices can cause these fires.

When electrical wires in kitchen equipment wear thin, they can start causing sparks that can lead to deadly outcomes when exposed to cooking supplies like vegetable oil.

3. Heating Equipment (9%)

Heating equipment causes 9% of all electrical house fires in the US. This heating equipment includes space heaters, boilers, and ducted heating.

Space heaters are hazardous. People often leave their clothes on the heaters to dry, and these clothes can catch fire very quickly. Drying your clothes on a space heater is a terrible idea!

Heat is one of the three factors required for a fire to start (the other two being fuel and oxygen – we call this the fire triangle).

4. Fans / Ventilators (6%)

Fans are a surprisingly significant safety hazard when it comes to electrical fires. A stalled motor, frayed power cord insulation, and poor switch endurance can lead to fan fires.

One possible reason fans are a fire hazard is that they are regularly left unattended on hot nights. As a result, people do not have enough time to respond to issues until after the fire.

Another reason fans cause fires may be that many fans and exhaust systems accumulate lint over time. Lint can act as kindling and be the catalyst for turning an electrical spark into a self-sustaining fire.

Faulty Air Conditioning

5. Air Conditioners (3%)

Air conditioners similarly have the issue of building dust and lint inside their ducts. Again, this kindling is a considerable fire hazard. It would be best to clear it out regularly.

But other things that may lead to an air conditioner fire include the build-up of flammable materials near an air conditioner – such as leaves or trash. Furthermore, faulty parts may lead to an electrical fire within the unit. Therefore, keeping teams well-maintained and up-to-date is imperative.

6. Clothes Dryers (3%)

According to the US Fire Administration, firefighters attend an average of 2,900 fires involving clothes dryers yearly. Additionally, these fires cause five deaths and 100 injuries per year.

The first thing to catch alight during a clothes dryer fire is dust, fiber, and lint (28%), followed closely by loose clothing (27%).

The US Fire Administration notes that failure to clean the dryer corresponds to 34% of dry clothes. Here are their key recommendations:

  • All clothes dryers should have a well-fitted, functioning lint filter.
  • It would be best not to place objects and clothes containing foam, rubber, and plastic in a fire.
  • Do not place clothes that have come in contact with alcohol, cooking oils, gasoline, or other flammable objects in the clothes dryer.
  • Do not leave a clothes dryer running while sleeping or going home.

The peak month for clothes dryer fires is January – perhaps because this is a cold month when people are less likely to use an outdoor clothesline. So it’s a good idea to clean your clothes dryer regularly – particularly in January!

Additional Interesting Facts

The NFPA report also reveals some other interesting details. These include:

Fires are Deadliest at Night

11% of all home electrical fires occur between 12 am and 4 am. However, these fires account for nearly 34% of all civilian deaths attributable to electrical fires. This day is deadly because fire can spread unnoticed by the sleeping residents. Smoke detectors are one way to help mitigate this risk.

Dinner Time is a Common time for Fires

24% of electrical fires in the home occur between 4 pm and 8 pm. Many electrical pieces of equipment are in use now, including electrical equipment in the kitchen.

Dinnertime fires are less deadly than nighttime fires. While the above figure shows fires between 12 am and 4 pm cause 34% of deaths, fires between 4 pm and 8 pm cause 11%.

January is a Deadly Month

January is the middle of winter. It’s a time when we are using a lot of heating equipment. Correspondingly, it’s a month when a lot of deaths occur. According to NFPA, 16% of all civilian deaths attributable to electrical fires occur in January. December’s the second most deadly month, with 12% of all electrical fire deaths.

Video: Avoiding Electrical Fires

FAQ

At what time are electrical fires most deadly?

Night time is the deadliest for electric fires, typically between 12 am and 4 am., due to people sleeping and not noticing the fire.

At what time are electrical fires most common?

Dinner is a typical time for electric fires, usually between 4 pm and 8 pm. This is because people cook and generally use far more electrical devices during this time.

What are the deadliest months due to electrical fires?

January is the month where most deaths occur in the United States, followed closely by December.

What causes the most number of electric fires?

Wiring issues cause about 33% of all home electrical fires.

What are the most common causes of electrical fires?

– Household Wiring, Lighting, and Power Cords
– Cooking Equipment
– Heating Equipment
– Fans
– Air Conditioners
– Clothes Dryers

Final Thoughts

Electrical fires are incredibly deadly types of fires. To be prepared for an electrical fire, you should follow the instructions of your local fire department. In addition, all fire extinguishers in the home should be Class C fire compatible. A Class C fire is an electrical fire.

Remember that water is an electrical conduit, so it is not an excellent fire tool. Class C fire extinguishers do not contain water, making them best for electrical fires. Another way of smothering a fire without fire is using a fire blanket.