Residential building fire death causes (2014-2023)

National estimates

The 2023 national estimates for the leading causes of residential building fire deaths show that there were:

Overall trends in the leading fire death causes for the 10-year period of 2014 to 2023 show the following:

Other unintentional, careless was the leading cause of residential fire deaths in 9 years out of the 10-year period.
There was a 50% increase in residential other unintentionally or carelessly set fire deaths.
In 2018, there were 16 reported multifatality fire incidents, 18 in 2019, 9 in 2020, 15 in 2021, 23 in 2022 and 12 in 2023. These reported multifatality fire incidents may have contributed to the increase in the estimates of fire deaths.
Cause under investigation was the leading or second leading cause of residential fire deaths 7 years out of the 10-year period.
There was a 78% increase in residential cause-under-investigation fire deaths.
In 2019, there were 10 reported multifatality fire incidents, 18 in 2020, 11 in 2021, 19 in 2022 and 11 in 2023. These multifatality fire incidents may have contributed to the increase in the estimates of fire deaths.
A 19% decrease in residential electrical malfunction fire deaths.
A 3% decrease in residential intentional fire deaths and a 20% decrease in residential smoking fire deaths.

	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Other unintentional, careless	450	440	480	435	545	585	500	575	665	625
Cause under investigation	305	365	405	355	375	470	505	470	555	560
Electrical malfunction	325	290	310	200	255	225	200	295	185	305
Intentional	235	290	260	370	255	265	185	275	265	290
Smoking	325	320	375	300	390	320	330	275	295	255