Regional distribution of deaths from residential fires--United States, 1978-1984.

In 1984, 5,010 people in the United States lost their lives in fires; almost 90% of them died in residential fires (National Center fo r Health Statistics [NCHS], unpub­ lished data). To assess the regional distribution o f these deaths,* 1978-1984 mortality data collected by NCHSf were analyzed. While an average of 4,897 persons died in residential fires each year during the period 1978-1984 (Table 1), residential fire death rates per 100,000 population decreased 21%, from 2.4 in 1978 to 1.9 in 1984 (CDC, unpublished data). The South had the largest average number of deaths per year (2,150) and the highest average death rate per 100,000 population (2.9). In contrast, the West had the lowest average number of deaths per year (585) and the lowest death rate per 100,000 population (1.4). Residential fire deaths and death rates for the Northeast and the Midwest were lower than those fo r the South, but higher than those for the West. Overall, males in the South had the most residential fire deaths and the highest death rate per 100,000. The male to female ratio of residential fire death rates varied by region from 1.4 to 1.7. However, death rates fo r females in the South were higher than for females in other regions and higher than for males in the West. In all regions, residential fire death rates were much higher for children aged 0-4 years and the elderly (^65 years) than fo r those aged 5-64 years; however, the rate differences were most pronounced in the South. Children had higher residential fire death rates than the elderly in the M idwest and the Northeast. However, in the South and West, residential fire death rates were lower for children than fo r the elderly. For each region, deaths from conflagrations (uncontrolled fires) (E890) represented 87% to 90% of deaths from residential fires; those from clothing ignitions (E893) represented 4% to 5%; and those from other residential fires such as fires in