Deaths resulting from residential fires and the prevalence of smoke alarms--United States, 1991-1995.

In 1995, residential fires accounted for an estimated 3600 deaths and approximately 18,600 injuries. In addition, property damage and other direct costs have been estimated to exceed more than $4 billion annually. To determine residential fire-related death rates, CDC analyzed death certificate data from 1991 to 1995 from U.S. vital statistics mortality tapes. Data from CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) was used to determine the prevalence of smoke alarms in U.S. households. This report presents the findings of these analyses, which indicate a seasonal variation in fire-related deaths and a high prevalence of smoke alarms in residences in the United States.