Leading Cause of Structure Fires in Non-Residential Properties, 2003-2006
Estimates are derived from the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) Version 5.0 and NFPA’s annual fire department experience survey.

Property use breakdown for structure fires in nonresidential properties during 2003-2006:
22% - Storage properties
19% - Mercantile or business properties
19% - Outside or special properties
14% - Public assembly properties
23% - Other non-residential properties
Source: Non-Residential Property Structure Fires, Jennifer D. Flynn, NFPA Fire Analysis and Research Division, Quincy, MA, October 2009

Structure Fire Stats
480,500 structure fires occurred in the U.S. during 2009.
• decrease 7% from 2008
• 2,695 civilian fire deaths
• 14,740 civilian fire injuries
• $10.8 billion in property damage

Source: Fire Loss in the United States During 2009 by Michael J. Karter, Jr., NFPA, Quincy, MA
Firefighter Fatalities in the United States – 2009, by Rita F. Fahy, Paul R. LeBlanc and Joseph L. Molis, NFPA, Quincy, MA

• One out of every 5 non-residential structure fires is a contained trash or rubbish fire.
• One out of every 4 non-residential structure fires occurs in the afternoon, between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.