Fire departments responded to an estimated average of 46,700 home fires involving electrical failure or malfunction each year in 2015–2019.
- These fires caused an estimated average of 390 civilian deaths and 1,330 civilian injuries each year in 2015–2019, as well as an estimated $1.5 billion in direct property damage a year.
- Electrical failures or malfunctions were the second leading cause of electrical home fires in 2015–2019 accounting for 13% of home structure fires.
- Three in ten fires (30%) involving electrical failure or malfunction occurred in the cold weather months from November through February.
- Arcing served as the heat source in over three in five fires (63%) of home fires involving an electrical failure or malfunction in 2015–2019.