Key Takeaways
- Apartment fires resulted in 3,650 civilian injuries in the US in 2021.
- Firefighter injuries from apartment fires totaled 1,200 in 2020.
- 85% of apartment fire fatalities occurred in homes without working smoke alarms in 2019.
- Cooking equipment caused 49% of apartment structure fires in 2021.
- Smoking materials were responsible for 7% of apartment fires resulting in fatalities in 2020.
- Heating equipment ignited 12% of apartment fires between 2016-2020.
- In 2022, there were 13,500 reported apartment building structure fires in the United States, accounting for 23% of all residential structure fires.
- Apartment fires caused 510 civilian deaths in the US in 2021, representing 15% of residential fire fatalities.
- The rate of apartment structure fires per 1,000 apartment buildings was 0.45 in 2020.
- Property damage from apartment fires reached $1.2 billion in 2021.
- Average loss per apartment fire: $85,000 in 2020.
- 25% of apartment buildings affected by fire had damages exceeding $500,000 in 2019.
- 92% of US apartments had smoke alarms installed in 2021, reducing fire deaths by 55%.
- Sprinkler systems were present in only 8% of apartment buildings without mandates in 2020.
- Fire department response time to apartment fires averaged 4.5 minutes in urban areas in 2022.
In 2021, apartment fires caused 3,650 civilian injuries and 510 deaths, with most fatalities linked to working smoke alarms.
Related reading
Casualties
Casualties Interpretation
Causes
Causes Interpretation
More related reading
Incidence Rates
Incidence Rates Interpretation
Property Damage
Property Damage Interpretation
More related reading
Response and Prevention
Response and Prevention Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Helena Kowalczyk. (2026, February 13). Apartment Fire Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/apartment-fire-statistics
Helena Kowalczyk. "Apartment Fire Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/apartment-fire-statistics.
Helena Kowalczyk. 2026. "Apartment Fire Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/apartment-fire-statistics.
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