Multi-family apartment buildings have a higher risk for cooking fires than any other type of building. 74% of all fires in multi-family residences are the result of cooking – that is nearly double the rate for other buildings. The vast majority of multi-family residences using electric stoves have electric coil stoves, which contribute disproportionately to cooking fires.
Between 2013-15, an average of 109,700 multi-family residential fires were reported each year and for every reported cooking fire, another 30 to 50 are unreported.
On average, these fires caused approximately 405 deaths, 3,975 injuries and $1.4 billion in property loss annually.
Vulnerable populations, aging infrastructure, and stretched budgets: The majority of Public Housing providers have unique features that can make them particularly susceptible to the risk of cooking fires. The very people that Public Housing is meant to serve are also among those at the highest risk for cooking fires and cooking fire injuries. Many tenants, especially the elderly, cope with impaired cognitive or physical abilities which both increase the risk for cooking fires and their ability to respond to emergency situations.
Cooking is the leading cause of multi-family apartment building fires (74%)*.
Ontario’s Fire Marshall found that the risk of cooking fires is significantly higher in subsidized housing than multi-family buildings generally.
Seniors over 65 are twice as likely to die in a fire; over 75, three times; over 85, four times as likely.
Independent/assisted living seniors may struggle with physical health, disabilities, independence and diminished faculties, which ultimately limits their mobility, capacity and alertness. These factors not only increase the risk of fires, but when a cooking fire ignites their perception of danger, responsiveness and ability to navigate themselves to safety are severely compromised. Cooking fires also cause millions of dollars in damage, not to mention trauma for residents and their families.
From 2009 to 2013, cooking equipment was involved in a staggering two-thirds (66%) of nursing home fires in the US.
Seniors over 65 years of age are twice as likely to die in a fire; adults 75 years and older are 3 times as likely to die; and those over 85 are 4 times as likely perish.
Hotel and motel fires cause damage and loss in countless and unexpected ways. Guests are unfamiliar with the cooking equipment and may be unaware of safety procedures and routes. News of an incident can now travel faster and wider than the fire itself, causing damage to a host’s reputation. Add lost income, insurance, legal, relocation costs and more, and a cooking fire is no holiday.
At 46%, cooking is the leading cause of hotel and motel fires.
Every hotel/motel fire costs an average of more than $16,000.
Reported hotel & motel structure fires result in annual losses of $84 million in direct property damage every year. Add in costs from unreported fires and the numbers are likely much, much higher.
College or university residences, on-campus apartments, common rooms and fraternities are all vulnerable to an easily distracted population with limited cooking or fire safety experience. It is impossible to monitor every cooking source or control cooking behaviour, that is why prevention is so important… and effective!
Six of every seven fires in college dormitories start from cooking.
From 2003 to 2013, reported fires in campus dorms increased by 23%.
Between 2000 and 2015, smoke alarms were missing or tampered with in 58% of all fatal campus fires.
“The North Charleston Housing Authority has installed the Safe T Elements in all of its housing units since 2009. Since the installation, we have not had one grease fire. Without doubt this product has proven itself to be an excellent fire prevention device.”
David LaRoe, Director of Development & Real Estate, NCHA
“This installation and safety initiative is proving to be a great benefit to protecting the people and property at RHA. We would definitely recommend this technology to all housing authorities to help protect residents and properties from the dangerous risks of cooking fires.”
Sandra Whitney, Director of Housing Operations, Rochester Housing Authority
“Since Safe T Element was installed; we have more confidence of the level of fire safety in our group homes and have not experienced a single unattended cooking fire-related incident.”
Rob Tobin, Corporate Services and Housing Case Management Liason Specialist, Canadian Mental Health Association