The U.S. Fire Administration has released a report on campus fire fatalities from around the nation from 2000 to the present.
The report presents findings from a study that looked at data from fatal campus fires and the fatalities that resulted from them. Factors leading to the fire deaths of college students are highlighted to help officials plan programs that will prevent fire injuries and deaths on college campuses in the future.
During the last 16 academic years from 2000 through 2015, there have been 85 fatal fires in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and off-campus housing, resulting in 118 fatalities–an average of approximately seven per school year. The report notes that 94 percent of fatal campus fires examined took place in off-campus housing, and noted some areas of special concern, like the lack of fire sprinklers or smoke alarms in many instances.
More key points:
- Fire sprinklers were not present in any of the 85 fatal campus fires.
- 70 percent of fatal campus fires occurred on the weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday).
- 67 percent of the victims were males.
- 73 percent of the fatal fires occurred between midnight and 6 a.m.
- April was the peak month (13 percent) for fatal fires in campus housing.
Download the complete report HERE (PDF, 2.8MB).
More: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/college.html
