Volume 35, No. 7 July/August 2004
Stopping young fire-starters
Print version: page 41
National studies have found:
* Children under 5 years old account for the highest number of people killed in child-related fire-play incidents.
* Seventy-five percent of child fire-play incidents involved matches or lighters.
* About half of child fire-setting cases in homes are started in the bedroom.
* In fatal home fires caused by children, three out of five children set fire to bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture or clothing.
* Child fire-play incidents accounted for 41,900 fires, 165 deaths and nearly 2,000 injuries in 1999.
Source: National Fire Protection Association's "Children playing with fire" 2003 report
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