According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2015 alone, over 500,000 structure fires were reported in the US. Fires start in a large variety of ways, but some of the more common causes are:

Appliances/Equipment: Common fire-starting devices include cooking & heating equipment, washer/dryer, office/computer equipment, air conditioning, and home grills.

Arson/Juvenile Firesetting: 70% of these fires start with a lighter or matches, and 43% of these fires start by children 6 years old or younger. It is important to keep these fire-starting devices away from children!

Candles: 3% of structure fires were caused by candles and one third of these start in the bedroom. The four most common days of the year for candle fires are unsuprisingly Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day – be very careful of candle dangers during the holidays.

Chemical/Gases: Spontaneous combustion/heating and chemical reactions are common causes of structure fires. Rags that have absorbed oils and are improperly stored account for about 1/3 of these fires. These types of rags should be kept in well-covered metal containers and should be thoroughly dried before they are collected or transported.

Electrical: One of the most common causes of fires with electrical malfuncation responsible for more than 13% of structure fires. Of these, almost 50% are caused by electrical wiring and lighting equipment.

Lightning: Lightning related fires are most common from June through August and in the late afternoon and evening.

Smoking Material: Improperly disposed of or cigarettes are a common cause of fires. They are also some of the most preventable fires.

It is important when you think that you have an insurance claim to report, that nothing is moved or changed about the scene of the damage for many reasons all relating to the proper and accurate presentation of the claim.