84% of Household Electrical Fires Spread Beyond the Equipment, According to an Analysis by vHomeInsurance

vHomeInsurance, a data-driven insurance research service, dedicated to helping homeowners choose the best home insurance company, has published a new study on the extent of fire damage in household electrical fire incidents. vHomeInsurance analyzed the data available with the U.S. Fire Administration to publish the study. The findings of the study are published in an infographic for easy understanding. 

The U.S. Fire Administration reported an estimated 24,000 household electrical fires from 2014 through 2016. The fires resulted in 310 deaths, 850 injuries, and $871 million in property loss. The analysis revealed that fires caused due to electrical equipment spread beyond the equipment in 84% of the incidents. The infographic also draws a comparison between household electric and non-electric fires with respect to the extent of fire proliferation. The study reveals the spread of fire beyond the equipment, room, floor, and building in case of both electric and non-electric household fires. 

vHomeInsurance dug deep to understand the type of objects/structures that first caught fire during the household electric fire incidents. Electric wire and cable insulating materials were the first to catch fire in the majority of the incidents. They were followed by structural framing materials, acoustic insulation materials, exterior and interior wall covering, and other structural components. Understanding the types of objects that could first catch fire can help homeowners in taking precautionary measures to curtail the extent of fire proliferation.

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