Fire injuries can happen nearly anywhere. Over 5,00,000 fire and burn injuries receive medical treatment in the United States each year. These types of injuries affect the victim’s quality of life to a great extent. Victims may suffer chronic pain or loss of mobility due to fire and burn injuries.
Common Causes of Fire Injuries
- Cooking appliances
- Heating
- Smoking
- Electrical appliances such as flat irons, hot plates, heating pads, curling irons etc.
- Candles
- Carelessness among children
- Gas explosion
- Defective products
- Vehicle accidents
- Waste and combustible materials
- Steams or hot liquids
- Chemicals
- Faulty wiring
- Barbeques
- Lighting
- Flammable liquids
- Radiation such as ultraviolet light
Common Facts About Fire Injuries
- United States has the highest death rates as compared to all other counties.
- Accidental injury is the major cause of death among children and adults.
- Fires, falls, vehicle crashes, and drowning are the leading causes of fatal injury.
- Fire is the fourth common cause of death among children and adults.
- Over 70% of fires or burns among children are preventable.
- Children are more often burned by flames.
- Hot tap water burns lead to more fatal injuries or deaths than other hot liquids.
- 600 children die due to fire injuries each year.
- Candles caused around 10,000 home fires.
- The majority of people die from smoke inhalation than flames.
- Arson is one of the major causes of fires in homes.
- Fire kills more people in the U.S. than other natural disasters.
- Over 40 percent of residential fires occur in homes.
- Direct property loss due to fires or burns is approx. $9.4 billion each year.
- Careless smoking is also the leading cause of fire or burn deaths.
- The risk of fire death among senior citizens is more as compared to the average population.
- Men are more likely to die or get injured as compared to women.
Most Common Tips You Must Follow To Prevent Fire Injuries:
- Cooking is one of the major causes of fires in homes. So, never leave food unattended while you are cooking in the kitchen. Be sure to turn off all the elements when you are not in the kitchen.
- Blockages in the vents can cause a fire. Be sure to keep your dryer clean and do the regular maintenance of the vents.
- If you have a chimney, be sure to clean it regularly. Otherwise, it will start accumulating creosote. It is highly inflammable and can lead to fire.
- Be sure to equip your home with smoke alarms and check the batteries frequently.
- Be sure to turn off electrical circuits before stepping into water in case of flooding.
- Never use gasoline to start a fire.
- Never use an elevator in case of fire.
- Replace a defective electrical cord.
If you or your loved one has suffered a severe fire injury due to someone else’s negligence in Pittsburgh, you should go for legal assistance.
It is advisable to talk to an experienced Pittsburgh attorney or lawyer! A professional law firm or attorney will help you receive the right compensation for your claim.