National Fire Protection Association
Fire Analysis & Research
Fires Starting With Flammable Gas Fact Sheet
In 2007-2011, U.S. municipal fire departments responded to an estimated average of 51,600 fires per year
involving ignition of flammable gas as the type of material first ignited, including 20,260 fires per year in
or at homes and 31,340 fires per year in or at other properties.
These fires caused estimated losses of:
 168 civilian deaths per year
 1,029 civilian injuries per year, and
 $644 million per year in direct property damage.
Nearly all these fires involve natural gas, LP-gas, or unclassified or unknown-type gas. The other specific
gases identified – acetylene, anesthetic gas, and hydrogen – each accounted for no more than 1% of fires
and losses.
Home Structure Fires Involving
Flammable Gas
Fires
Civilian Deaths
Civilian
Injuries
Direct Property
Damage
28%
16%
54%
28%
32%
40%
Natural gas
LP-gas
36%
31%
32%
41%
33%
24%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Non-Home Structure Fires Involving
Flammable Gas
Fires
Civilian Deaths
Civilian
Injuries
Unclassified
or unknown
Direct Property
Damage
24%
25%
47%
17%
16%
20%
57%
Natural gas
LP-gas
36%
40%
33%
21%
43%
Unclassified
or unknown
0% 20% 40% 60%
Natural gas accounted for 44% more user households than LP-gas in 2009, but their numbers of home
fires and losses (combining structure, vehicle and outdoor firs) were comparable. However, the uses
associated with these fires were quite different, with many LP-gas fires involving gas grills and natural
gas fires more associated with central warm-air heating equipment. The fire risks involved have more to
do with the risks associated with primary vs. secondary cooking and heating equipment and less to do
with the properties of the gases.
Leak or break was a factor contributing to ignition for 22% of home structure fires starting with
flammable gas and for 28% of non-home structure fires starting with flammable gas.
Source: Fires Starting With Flammable or Combustible Gas or Liquid, John R. Hall, Jr., February 2014
NFPA, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169, www.nfpa.org
Fire Analysis & Research Division, [email protected]
National Fire Protection Association
Fire Analysis & Research
Fires Starting With Flammable or Combustible Liquids Fact Sheet
In 2007-2011, U.S. municipal fire departments responded to an estimated average of 160,910 fires per year
involving ignition of a flammable or combustible liquid as the type of material first ignited, including
55,390 fires per year in or at homes and 105,520 fires per year in or at other properties.
These fires caused estimated losses of:
 454 civilian deaths per year,
 3,910 civilian injuries per year, and
 $1.5 billion in direct property damage per year.
Structure Fires Beginning With Flammable or Combustible Liquid
Fires
Civilian deaths
Civilian injuries
Direct property damage
(in millions)
Home
43,620
196
2,559
$469
Non-Home
11,710
34
458
$374
The following types of flammable or combustible liquid can be distinguished:
 Class IA flammable liquid (including pentane and ethyl ether)
 Class IB flammable liquid (including acetone, ethyl alcohol, and methyl ethyl ketone)
 Gasoline
 Class IC flammable liquid (including turpentine and butyl alcohol)
 Class II combustible liquid (including the most commonly used home heating liquid fuels, kerosene
and Nos. 1 and 2 fuel oil; also diesel and paint thinner)
 Class IIIA combustible liquid (including Nos. 4, 5, or 6 fuel oil, typically used in commercial and
industrial heating; also creosote oil, which may be created in wood fires, and cottonseed oil)
 Class IIIB combustible liquid (including cooking oil, transformer oil or lubricant oil)
 Unclassified or unknown-type liquid
Leading Types of Flammable or
Combustible Liquid
First Ignited in Home Structure Fires
Class IIIB combustible
liquid
14%
Class II combustible
liquid
16%
47%
5%
4%
3%
Leading Types of Flammable or
Combustible Liquid
First Ignited in Non-Home Structure Fires
65%
72%
6%
13%
Gasoline
0%
Fires
Civilian injuries
47%
2%
16%
52%
20% 40% 60% 80%
Civilian deaths
Direct damages
48%
15%
Gasoline
27%
29%
21%
27%
26%
Unclassified or unknowntype liquid
11%
28%
10%
21%
Unclassified or unknowntype liquid
Class IIIB combustible
liquid
61%
34%
27%
6%
3%
3%
Class II combustible liquid
0%
Fires
Civilian injuries
13%
20%
40%
60%
Civilian deaths
Direct damages
Source: Fires Starting With Flammable or Combustible Gas or Liquid, John R. Hall, Jr., February 2014
NFPA, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169, www.nfpa.org
Fire Analysis and Research Division, [email protected]
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