In 2002 alone, lighted tobacco products caused an estimated 14,450 residential fires, 520 civilian deaths, 1,330 injuries, and $371 million in residential property damage, according to a new report issued Thursday by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s U.S. Fire Administration.

Michael D. Brown, under secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response and head of FEMA, said the report shows that smokers need to be more attentive.

 “Each year, smoking fires generally result in the highest fatality rate and are among the highest injury rates for residential fires,” Brown said. “Smoking fires account for a large number of preventable fires and injuries. Simply by being more attentive to the use of smoking materials, this nation could take a major step in preventing these types of fires and stop the needless deaths and injuries.”

The report, Residential Smoking Fires and Casualties, was developed by the National Fire Data Center, part of FEMA’s U.S. Fire Administration, and is based on data from the 2002 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).  The report summarizes the characteristics of smoking fires, with an emphasis on the casualties associated with these fires.  Forty percent of all smoking fires start in the bedroom or living room/family room areas of the home.  In 35% of smoking fires, upholstered furniture, mattresses, pillows, or bedding were the items first ignited.

“Many smoking fires originate in the bedroom late at night when victims are sleeping,” said U.S. Fire Administrator R. David Paulison. “While it is important to take extra precautions to be sure that smoking materials are properly extinguished before falling asleep, it is absolutely critical that all homes are protected by working smoke alarms.”