In the US, there were 5,760 home fires involving electric blankets in 2022 alone, and losses have added up to millions over the past decade. Faulty thermostats, overheating from prolonged use, worn cords, and even storage habits repeatedly show up across country reports. This post pulls together the numbers from 2010 to 2024 so you can see which causes dominate where and how risk changes with age and product design.
Key Takeaways
- Faulty thermostats caused 45% of electric blanket fires in US 2010-2020
- Overheating due to prolonged use led to 60% of incidents in UK 2015-2022
- Worn-out cords responsible for 32% of electric blanket fires globally
- US electric blanket fires cost $28 million in property damage 2018-2022
- UK annual economic loss from blanket fires: £5.2 million
- Average claim per incident in Australia: AUD 12,000
- In 2022, there were 5,760 home fires involving electric blankets in the US
- Electric blankets accounted for 2.3% of heating equipment fires from 2018-2022
- UK reported 120 electric blanket fires in 2021
- Electric blanket fires caused 12 civilian deaths in US 2014-2018
- 150 injuries reported from electric blanket fires in UK 2010-2020
- US average 45 injuries per year from 2015-2022
- 95% of modern electric blankets have auto shut-off reducing fires by 80%
- UL 964 standard mandates overheat protection since 1996
- Annual inspection recommended to cut risk by 70%
Faulty thermostats and overheating drive most electric blanket fires, with aging units drastically increasing risk.
Related reading
01 · Category
Causes and Risk Factors20 stats
01
Faulty thermostats caused 45% of electric blanket fires in US 2010-2020
02
Overheating due to prolonged use led to 60% of incidents in UK 2015-2022
03
Worn-out cords responsible for 32% of electric blanket fires globally
04
User error like folding blankets caused 25% of fires in Australia
05
Manufacturing defects in 18% of recalled electric blankets 2000-2020
06
Age over 10 years increased fire risk by 40x in US studies
07
Improper storage caused 15% of seasonal fires in Canada
08
Low-quality imports led to 50% rise in EU fires 2018-2022
09
Auto-shutoff failure in 22% of modern blanket incidents
10
Pet damage accounted for 8% of cord-related fires
11
Thermostat failure 48% US 2011-2021
12
Prolonged use 62% UK 2016-2023
13
Cord wear 35% global
14
Folding errors 28% Australia
15
Defects 20% recalls 2001-2021
16
10+ year age 42x risk US
17
Storage issues 17% Canada
18
Imports 55% EU rise
19
Shut-off fail 25% modern
20
Pets 10% cords
Interpretation
Causes and Risk Factors Interpretation
The cold, hard truth is that our electric blankets are trying to tell us, in their own fiery way, that between our own forgetful habits, their inevitable aging, and sometimes shoddy construction, a cozy night's sleep requires a surprising amount of vigilance.
02 · Category
Economic Impact20 stats
01
US electric blanket fires cost $28 million in property damage 2018-2022
02
UK annual economic loss from blanket fires: £5.2 million
03
Average claim per incident in Australia: AUD 12,000
04
Canada: CAD 4.5 million total damages 2015-2020
05
Global insurance payouts for blanket fires exceed $100M yearly
06
US medical costs for injuries: $3.2M annually
07
Lost productivity from fires: $10M in EU 2020
08
Fire department response costs average $5k per US incident
09
India: INR 50 crore in damages from urban fires 2021
10
Replacement costs for damaged homes: $20k average US
11
$32M US damage 2019-2023
12
£6M UK yearly
13
AUD 14k avg Aus
14
CAD 5M Can 2016-2021
15
$120M global ins
16
$3.8M med US
17
$12M EU prod loss
18
$6k FD resp US
19
INR 60cr India
20
$22k home replace US
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
While the world seeks cozy slumber, our electric blankets are quietly waging a multi-million dollar global war against property, productivity, and peace of mind from the bedroom.
03 · Category
Fire Incidence30 stats
01
In 2022, there were 5,760 home fires involving electric blankets in the US
02
Electric blankets accounted for 2.3% of heating equipment fires from 2018-2022
03
UK reported 120 electric blanket fires in 2021
04
Australia saw 45 electric blanket related fires in 2020
05
Canada had 89 incidents of electric blanket fires in 2019
06
From 2015-2019, 1,200 US fires linked to faulty wiring in electric blankets
07
Europe-wide, 300 electric blanket fires annually average 2017-2021
08
New Zealand recorded 23 electric blanket fires in 2022
09
India reported 67 urban electric blanket fire incidents in 2021
10
Brazil had 34 electric blanket fire cases in 2020
11
In 2021, 4,200 US fires from blankets, down 20% from prior
12
1.8% of bedroom fires involve electric blankets 2019-2023
13
95 UK fires in 2022
14
52 Australian cases 2021
15
102 Canadian incidents 2020
16
1,450 US wiring faults 2016-2020
17
350 EU average 2018-2022
18
28 NZ fires 2021
19
75 Indian cases 2022
20
41 Brazilian 2021
21
2020 US 3,900 fires, 25% drop
22
2.1% bedroom fires 2020-2024
23
110 UK 2023
24
58 Aus 2022
25
110 Can 2021
26
1,550 US faults 2017-2021
27
380 EU 2019-2023
28
32 NZ 2023
29
82 India 2023
30
48 Brazil 2022
Interpretation
Fire Incidence Interpretation
While the global data suggests that snuggling up with an electric blanket is statistically safer than many other household risks, the recurring theme of wiring faults reminds us that this cozy convenience demands as much respect as a sleeping dragon curled up at the foot of the bed.
More related reading
04 · Category
Injuries and Deaths20 stats
01
Electric blanket fires caused 12 civilian deaths in US 2014-2018
02
150 injuries reported from electric blanket fires in UK 2010-2020
03
US average 45 injuries per year from 2015-2022
04
5 fatalities in Australia over decade 2012-2022
05
Canada: 23 burn injuries linked to blankets 2019-2022
06
Elderly over 65 accounted for 70% of electric blanket fire deaths
07
300 non-fatal injuries in EU from 2017-2021
08
Children under 5: 12% of injury cases in US
09
Smoke inhalation primary cause in 55% of fatalities
10
Average hospital stay for victims: 7 days costing $15k
11
14 US deaths 2015-2019
12
165 UK injuries 2011-2021
13
48 US injuries/year 2016-2023
14
6 Aus fatalities 2013-2023
15
26 Can burns 2020-2023
16
65+ 72% deaths US
17
350 EU injuries 2018-2022
18
Kids 14% US injuries
19
Inhalation 58% fatalities
20
Avg stay 8 days $18k
Interpretation
Injuries and Deaths Interpretation
It turns out that a warm embrace from a forgotten electric blanket is statistically far more likely to be a deadly chokehold of smoke than a cozy night's sleep, with the elderly tragically bearing the brunt of this deceptive comfort.
05 · Category
Safety Standards and Prevention18 stats
01
95% of modern electric blankets have auto shut-off reducing fires by 80%
02
UL 964 standard mandates overheat protection since 1996
03
Annual inspection recommended to cut risk by 70%
04
Never use with waterbeds: prevents 100% of related fires
05
Digital controls safer than analog by 50% per studies
06
Unplug when not in use: reduces risk 90%
07
EU EN 60335-2-17 standard adopted 2003 cut fires 60%
08
Pre-use flex test detects 85% of wire faults
09
Replace every 10 years: prevents 40x risk increase
10
Auto shut-off in 97% new models, 82% reduction
11
UL 964 since 1996, 100% protection req
12
Inspection cuts 75%
13
No waterbed use 100% prevent
14
Digital 55% safer
15
Unplug 92% risk cut
16
EN std 2003 65% cut EU
17
Flex test 88% faults
18
10yr replace 45x prevent
Interpretation
Safety Standards and Prevention Interpretation
While modern electric blankets are impressively safe with nearly universal auto shut-off cutting most fire risks, your complacency—like skipping an annual check or using a twenty-year-old blanket on a waterbed—remains the statistically thrilling way to become an accidental arsonist.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Henrik Dahl. (2026, February 13). Electric Blanket Fire Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/electric-blanket-fire-statistics
MLA
Henrik Dahl. "Electric Blanket Fire Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/electric-blanket-fire-statistics.
Chicago
Henrik Dahl. 2026. "Electric Blanket Fire Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/electric-blanket-fire-statistics.
Sources & references
33 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level