Fires in residential facilities for older persons
Nursing home fires rare, but among the
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Nursing home fires represent only about 0.5 percent of the 560,000
structure fires each year in the United States, but they're often among the most deadly.
The reason is simple: Nursing home residents typically are too old and frail to take care of
themselves in an emergency. People older than 65 are twice as likely to die in a home fire
than the general population, and the risk increases with age.