USFA releases report on hotel, motel fires

Cooking caused nearly half of all hotel and motel fires, which kill an estimated 15 people and injure 150 annually, according to a new report (.pdf file) released Feb. 4 by the U.S. Fire Administration.

Accounting for 46 percent of all hotel and motel fires between 2005 and 2007, cooking far surpassed other major causes, including electrical malfunction (7 percent), heating (7 percent) and intentional (6 percent), making hotel kitchens and cooking areas "the most prevalent area of fire origin."

The majority of all fires (73 percent) remain confined to their object of origin, and only 9 percent of fires extend beyond the room of origin, according to the report. Hotel and motel fires mainly occur in the evening hours, and are more prevalent in cooler months due to an increase in heating fires.