Main Causes of Fire

There are 20,000 house fires in Canada in an average year, resulting in 300 deaths and more than $500 million of property damage. What are the main causes of fire?

Experts point to three major areas:

1. Carelessness and accidents

* Lack of attention when cooking; careless placement of items near the stove.
* Inattentive use of candles.
* Accidents involving gas, propane and solvents.

2. Electrical equipment

* Short circuits; overloaded systems; fuses.
* Loose connections; frayed cords; improper use of extension cords.

3. Smoking or fire lighting materials

* Cigarettes (especially falling asleep while smoking or not properly extinguishing cigarettes).
* Children playing with matches or lighters.