Christmas by the Numbers

12/15/2016 (Permalink)

SERVPRO® of Spring/Tomball Please Call 281-374-6454

Festive celebrations, flickering lights and winter greens are hallmarks of the holiday season, but they also present fire risks that can quickly turn this festive time of year into a devastating one. For this reason, SERVPRO of Spring/Tomball would like to provide you with some resourceful statistics to ponder over this holiday season: 

1. Between 2010-2014, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 210 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. These fires caused an average of 6 deaths, 16 injuries, and $16.2 million in direct property damage annually. 
2. On average, one of every 34 reported home fires that began with a Christmas tree resulted in a death, compared to an average of one death per 142 total reported home fires.

3. U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 860 home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees, in 2009-2013. These fires cause  an annual average of one civilian fire death, 41 civilian fire injuries and $13.4 million in direct property damage.

4. Half (51%) of the December home decoration fires were started by candles, compared to one-third (35%) in January to November.