According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 20%, or 46 million, of U.S. adults smoke cigarettes despite their adverse side-effects. Most people are aware that cigarettes are linked to various forms of cancer, as well as other serious health problems; however, many smokers do not realize that smoking is also a fire hazard. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that cigarette fires kill between 700 and 900 people each year.

Facts and Figures

Discarded cigarettes are responsible for a significant percentage of residential fires. Smokers who flippantly toss their cigarettes out their car windows or on the ground may not realize the fire risk they are creating. The following statistics are provided by the NFPA:

Cigarette fires are the leading cause of all fire fatalities in the U.S.
Roughly 1 out of every 4 fire fatalities was caused by cigarette fires
In 2007, there were 140,700 smoking-material fires in the United States. These fires caused 720 deaths and 1,580 injuries.
Property losses from cigarette fires total hundreds of millions of dollars each year
Approximately 25% of cigarette fire victims are not the smoker. Of this quarter,
34% are children
24% are neighbors or friends
14% are spouses or partners
13% are parents
The most common items to catch fire from cigarettes are: mattresses and bedding, furniture and trash

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Preventing Cigarette Fires

In order to reduce the risk of cigarette fires, smokers must learn to properly dispose of their cigarettes. General safety tips include:

Properly extinguishing your cigarette when finished
Placing the cigarette butt in a non-flammable place, such as an ash tray
Do not throw cigarettes out of car windows or into lawns
Never toss a cigarette, even extinguished, into a trash bin or dumpster, as these places are likely to contain flammable materials.

Liability

If you or someone you love has suffered from a smoker’s failure to properly dispose of their cigarette, they may be liable for any damages their negligence caused. Speak with a qualified attorney to discuss your grounds for filing a legal claim, as you may be eligible to receive compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, as well as property damage.

For more information about how to receive compensation for damages related to cigarette fires, contact the law office of Austin’s cigarette fire attorney Vic Feazell today.