Burn, fire death toll is high

The United States suffered 1,642,500 fires in 2006, causing 3,245 civilian fire deaths, 89 firefighter deaths, 16,400 civilian fire injuries and $11.3 billion in property damage. The National Fire Protection Association also reports fires were up 3 per cent over the previous year. Most civilian fire deaths came from structure fires, followed by vehicle fires, outside fires and other fires.

Yet fires aren’t the only way someone can suffer burn death. Fire burns are called thermal burns. Other burns include chemical burns and electrical burns. All such burns can be fatal.

If a loved one has suffered wrongful death from any form of fire or burn, contact a burn lawyer from Jim S. Adler & Associates for assistance in making a claim for legal compensation.

Burn injuries often are fatal

Among the leading causes of accidental death in the U.S., burns from fires are second only to motor vehicle accidents. And, as in many vehicle accidents, fire deaths many times are preventable.

Children and the elderly often are burn victims. Children have a tendency to set fires accidentally, while those 75 and older are most likely to die in a house fire, the NFPA reports. For this age group, the kitchen is the most likely place for a fire and burn to occur.

Fires also can occur in the workplace, particularly in construction and manufacturing. This is one reason the U.S. has one of the highest deaths rates for fires (sixth) among industrialized nations.  Yet at least 80 per cent of fire deaths occur in residences.

Fires’ toll is high

Fires kill more Americans yearly than all natural disasters combined. This includes about 100 firefighters who die each year in the line of duty, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Among unintentional injury deaths in the U.S., deaths from fires and burns are the fifth most common cause, as well as the third most common cause of fatal injury in the home, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Arson often is to blame

According to the NFPA, arson is the third leading cause of residential fire deaths, just behind careless smoking and heating fires. On commercial property, arson is the No. 1 cause of fire deaths, injuries and dollar loss.

The Fire Administration reports that an estimated 31,000 fires of structures were set intentionally in 2006, resulting in 305 civilian deaths.

Legal help is available

If a loved one has suffered a wrongful death via burns or fires due to another person’s negligence or harmful behavior, contact Jim S. Adler & Associates for a fire death lawyer. The firm offers free case evaluations, and you pay no fees to its attorneys, but rather a percentage of the reward should your case prevail in court.