The U.S. Fire Administration has released a special report regarding fatal residential structure fires with working smoke alarms. The report reveals alarms operated in 34% of fatal apartment fires and in 12% of fatal one- and two-family dwelling fires.

“Each year an unacceptable number of American citizens lose their lives in residential structure fires where smoke alarms operated," said Acting USFA Fire Administrator Charlie Dickinson. "USFA has investigated the characteristics of the victims of these fires to better educate the public in taking preventative measures to reduce the risks involved with such fires."

The report shows 37% of the victims of fatal residential structure fires with working smoke alarms were sleeping at the time of their death. An additional 29% of victims were trying to escape the fire at the time of their fatal injury.

Investigation of Fatal Residential Structure Fires with Operational Smoke Alarms was developed by the USFA’s National Fire Data Center as part of its Topical Fire Research Series and is based on data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System for 2001–2004. The report examines residential structure fires with fatalities where smoke alarms operated and addresses the characteristics of these fatalities.

A copy of this report and other reports in this series may be downloaded in PDF format from the USFA's Topical Fire Research Series page.