Fire Deaths In Minnesota Hit Lowest Mark Since 2009

Fire deaths in Minnesota in 2018 were the lowest since 2009, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

The Minnesota DPS reports that 37 people died last year in fires in Minnesota, the second-lowest number on record. This is the lowest number of fire deaths since 2009 when 35 people were killed.

Fire death numbers become final once Minnesota hospital officials report their information to the Minnesota Department of Health. The State Fire Marshal Division issued a news release in January with preliminary 2018 fire death numbers and final numbers were released on Tuesday.

2018 fire death statistics

• People age 50 or older accounted for 59 percent of people killed.
• Careless smoking was the leading cause of fires where a cause could be determined.
• There were no working smoke alarms in 30 percent of the homes where people died.
• Last year’s fire death total is 46 percent lower than the 68 deaths in 2017.

Fire death rates

The fire death rate in Minnesota has dropped 63 percent since the 1970s. Numbers below are deaths per 100,000 people:

• 1970s: 2.45
• 1980s: 1.86
• 1990s: 1.26
• 2000s: 0.91
• 2010s: 0.90