Nearly 4,000 people die each year in fires at home, according to a new study released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's U.S. Fire Administration.
The statistics are alarming, said FEMA's director, Michael D. Brown. “Residential structure fires, the very place people should feel the safest, unfortunately account for the vast majority of fatal fires,” he said. “What's most worrisome is that in a full two-thirds of these fires, smoke alarms are missing or not working.”
Structure fires accounted for 74 percent of the 3,300 fatal fires in 2002. Of these fatal structure fires, 94 percent occurred in residences, FEMA reported.
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