Information on home fire fatalities is compiled through a daily Internet search (Monday-Friday) of U.S. news media reports. The primary purpose of this information is to help raise awareness about the danger of fire and the frequency of home fire deaths.

We gather home fire fatality information from U.S. news media reports published within 24-48 hours after a fatal fire. These early reports provide only basic information about what happened, such as how many fatalities, when and where the fire happened, and the type of home, for example, a house, apartment or mobile home. Most fires require investigations that can take weeks or months to complete. For this reason, the information found on this page should be viewed only as preliminary, especially as it relates to the cause of the fire and the presence or absence of working smoke alarms.