The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)’s 2017 report revealed alarming statistics about house fires. U.S. fire departments listed an average of 358,000 residential fires per year during 2011 to 2015. House fires also cost $6.7 billion in structural and material damage, causing 12,300 civilian injuries and 2,510 deaths.

The causes range from unattended food in the kitchen to candles left burning in the room. Most of these scenarios are preventable, however. Homeowners need only to exercise more vigilance. AAA Restoration shares the most common causes of residential fires.

Candles

Unattended candles are the cause of hundreds of fires annually. The use of safe holders is not a good reason to leave lit candles unattended, either. It only takes a second for a child or pet to knock a candle over or move it close to flammable materials for a fire to ignite.

Cooking

Unattended cooking equipment remains the leading cause of injuries and the second-leading cause of deaths in residential fires. Unattended hot plates and toasters, cookbooks placed near gas flames, and microwaving dishes that are non-microwavable are common culprits.

Electrical Wires and Overloaded Strips

Worn-out, chewed, or frayed electrical cords can spark a house fire. Exposed electrical wires, for example, will light your rug or floor immediately. Wires chewed on by pets will also result in serious fire hazards.

Overloaded power strips, on the other hand, can spark. If these are placed near flammable items, a fire may start.

A small fire can instantly grow before you even finish reading this sentence. It pays to stay away from these culprits and spare yourself and the family from fire-related problems.

Still need to learn more about residential fires? Get in touch with AAA Restoration today.