NFPA report: The risk of fire death varies by age and race

The percentage of fatal fire victims 65 and older has been increasing while the percentage of victims under 5 has fallen. According to NFPA’s new report, Characteristics of Home Fire Victims, older adults had the highest risk of fire death in the US compared to other age groups. In 2007-2011, people 65 and over were 2.4 times as likely to be killed in a home fire as the overall population. While children under five have historically also been a high risk group, their risk has dropped to 1.1 times that of the general population. The percentage of fatal home fire...