Nearly 4,000 people die each year in fires at home, according toa new study released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency'sU.S. Fire Administration.

The statistics are alarming, said FEMA's director, Michael D.Brown. “Residential structure fires, the very place people shouldfeel the safest, unfortunately account for the vast majority offatal fires,” he said. “What's most worrisome is that in a fulltwo-thirds of these fires, smoke alarms are missing or notworking.”

Structure fires accounted for 74 percent of the 3,300 fatalfires in 2002. Of these fatal structure fires, 94 percent occurredin residences, FEMA reported.

Property losses also are 16 times as great in fatal fires as innonfatal fires. Flame damage is more extensive in fatal fires, andin more than half of fatal structure fires, flame damage extendedthroughout the structures, whereas flame damage extended throughoutstructures in only 18 percent of nonfatal fires.

Other alarming statistics were revealed regarding the causes ofmany of these fires. Arson was the leading cause of fatalresidential structure fires, accounting for 22 percent, followedclosely by smoking at 21 percent. Arson fires are increasing, upfrom 20 percent in the February 2002 report, which listed smokingas the leading cause of fatal fires at 24 percent.

Most fatal fires are preventable, the fire administration noted.Simple precautions include smoking outside and not when drowsy;properly maintaining, routinely inspecting, and properly installingheating equipment; and never leaving cooking unattended. Inaddition, the presence of properly installed and functioning smokealarms can prevent many fire fatalities.

“An unacceptable number of Americans are losing their lives andbeing injured by fires each year,” said U.S. Fire AdministratorDavid Paulison. “We know that smoke alarms, escape plans, childfire prevention programs, and residential sprinklers save lives. Wecontinue to encourage everyone to take the steps necessary toensure that their homes are fire safe today.”