According to the latest reported figures, accidents related to cooking caused more residential fires more than any other known cause. Careless smoking is the leading known cause of residential fire deaths.
Causes of reported fires include:
| Cooking | 20% |
| Unknown | 18% |
| Heating | 15% |
| Suspicious Causes (arson) | 11% |
| Electrical wiring | 8% |
| Appliances | 6% |
| Smoking | 5% |
| Open flame | 5% |
| Children playing | 4% |
| Other | 4% |
| Exposure | 3% |