5 Leading Causes of House Fires in Texas
The National Fire Protection Association estimates that fire departments nationwide respond to over 340,000 house fires each year. Credit-reporting bureau Experian estimates that the average insurance claim submitted following a house fire is for over $77,000 in damages.
Beyond the monetary damage, house fires can destroy your sense of safety and security and priceless family memories.
Far from being unpredictable or random, many house fires start in similar locations and for similar reasons. Knowing what these are is crucial to preventing a tragedy for you and your family.
Where and Why Most House Fires Start
According to The Zebra, the vast majority of house fires, approximately 50 percent, begin in the kitchen. The next most common places for house firms to start include the bedroom, living room, chimney, and laundry room.
Fires commonly happen in the home because of:
Cooking Mishaps
Fires in the kitchen can happen because of food left unattended or cooking oils that catch fire. These fires can surprise individuals, leading to knee-jerk reactions that worsen the fire. For instance, pouring water on a grease fire can cause it to spread rather than put it out. Making matters worse, many kitchens have towels and curtains that can easily catch fire.
Unattended Candles
Candles can create a soothing ambiance for your bedroom. However, leaving candles burning unattended or while you sleep is dangerous. Accidentally knocking a candle over can cause the flame to spread to other flammable fabrics in the room. Or you might accidentally place a burning candle too close to curtains, bedsheets, or other surfaces that can catch fire.
Electrical Fires
There can be numerous causes of electrical fires. Your electrical outlets or wiring can be faulty, or an appliance can be defective. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to know about these defects until a fire starts. An electrical fire can start unexpectedly, making them especially dangerous. Moreover, like grease fires, applying water to an electrical fire can worsen the situation.
Chimney Fires
If you have and use a chimney, you must clean it out regularly. Otherwise, soot and other flammable materials can build up inside the chimney and around the fireplace, which can lead to a fire. Also, you should never leave a fire unattended. A stray ember can leave the fireplace and land on a nearby flammable surface, causing it to catch fire and spread.
Laundry Fires
The laundry room may not seem like a likely place for a fire to start. However, if you have a laundry room with a dryer, your home has a fire risk.
Your dryer’s lint trap and exhaust can become clogged with lint from your clothing if you do not clean it out frequently. This lint can catch fire, and that fire can burn uncontrolled if your dryer is in an out-of-the-way room in your home.
Staying Safe in the Home Requires Planning and Foresight
Although it can seem like house fires start unexpectedly, many can be prevented. By going through your home and giving careful attention to potential fire hazards, you can mitigate the chance that a fire will unexpectedly start and spread in your home.
Consider the places where fires commonly start and the circumstances that can lead to a fire. Teach any children in your home how to reduce the chance of a fire as well. Lastly, all residents in your home should know how to evacuate the home and where to meet in the event of a fire.
Contact the Texas Premises Liability Lawyers of The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
Please contact an experienced premises liability lawyer at The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers to get a free initial consultation today. We have offices in Friendswood and Galveston, Texas. Call us at (281) 992-8633.
The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers – Galveston
2101 Mechanic St. Suite 253
Galveston, TX 77550
The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers
312 S. Friendswood Dr.
Friendswood, TX 77546
