The leading cause of school fires is intentional fire setting, commonly referred to as arson, which accounts for over 40% of all school fires reported annually. This cause is significantly higher than others such as cooking and heating-related fires
. Key points include:
- Arson or suspicious fires make up about 32% to 47% of school structure fires, with the highest incidence in middle and high schools
- Cooking equipment fires are the second most common cause, responsible for roughly 29% of school fires, often occurring in cafeterias and staff areas
- Heating equipment causes around 9-10% of school fires, often linked to boilers, space heaters, and central heating systems
- Electrical malfunctions and children playing with ignition sources like matches and lighters also contribute but to a lesser extent compared to arson and cooking fires
Intentional fires are often started by juveniles, ranging from curiosity- driven fires in younger children to more deliberate acts by older students
. Prevention efforts focus heavily on supervision, education about fire risks, and early intervention for at-risk youth. In summary, arson is the predominant cause of school fires, followed by cooking and heating equipment-related incidents
