Watch: An Alarmingly Simple Way to Avoid Becoming a Fire Victim

Fire Facts

Courtesy of Erika Leader-Young, New Lenox Fire Protection District, the National Fire Protection Association and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

1. A candle fire is reported to a U.S. fire department ever 40 minutes.

2. In 2009, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 58,900-reported U.S. home structure fires, with associated losses of 480 civilian deaths, 1,520 civilian injuries and $1.1 billion in property damage.

3. The top cause of fires in the home is cooking equipment, accounting for an estimated 147,400 (40 percent) of residential fires each year between 2008 and 2010.

4. Six people die every day in home fires.

5. More than 1,000 senior citizens die in fires every year.

READ MORE: Expert Advice: Follow These Fire Safety Tips