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Residential Building Electrical Malfunction Fire Trends (2013-2022)

National estimates

The 2022 national estimates for residential building electrical malfunction fires and losses show that there were:

  • 26,100 fires.
  • 185 deaths.
  • 850 injuries.
  • $1,492,400,000 in dollar loss.

Overall trends

Overall trends for residential building electrical malfunction fires and losses for the 10-year period of 2013 to 2022 show the following:

  • A 6% increase in fires.
  • A 37% decrease in deaths.
  • A 7% increase in injuries.
  • A 27% increase in dollar loss.*
    In 2018, there were 32 incidents with a reported dollar loss of $1,000,000 or more, 14 in 2019, 13 in 2020, 23 in 2021 and 31 in 2022. These incidents may have contributed to the continued increase in fire dollar loss. The 2019 high-dollar-loss fires included a $26,400,000 hotel fire in New Orleans, Louisiana. The 2022 high-dollar-loss fires included an $11,000,000 apartment building fire in Belton, Missouri.
*This overall constant dollar-loss trend takes inflation into account by adjusting each year's dollar loss to its equivalent 2022 value.

Fires, deaths, injuries and dollar loss

Residential building electrical malfunction fires (2013-2022)

2013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Fires23100239002450023500241002570024200234002420026100

Residential building electrical malfunction fire deaths (2013-2022)

2013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Deaths335325290310200255225200295185

Residential building electrical malfunction fire injuries (2013-2022)

2013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Injuries8759258508007508251050975900850

Residential building electrical malfunction fire dollar loss (2013-2022)

YearDollar loss
20131161300000
20141148900000
20151172000000
20161106000000
20171263000000
20181430500000
20191383200000
20201284400000
20211297600000
20221492400000
2013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Dollar loss1.21.11.21.11.31.41.41.31.31.5