The leading cause of school fires is intentional fires (arson), which account for over 40% of school fire incidents annually. These fires are often set by students for various reasons, including curiosity, emotional distress, peer pressure, or as a coping mechanism. Intentional fires also cause about one- third of the total property damage from school fires. Other significant causes include cooking equipment fires, especially in cafeterias and staff break rooms, heating equipment malfunctions, and electrical faults. Cooking fires account for a large portion of reported incidents but usually cause less damage due to staff presence. Heating equipment fires and electrical malfunctions, including faulty wiring and overloaded circuits, also contribute notably to school fires. Bathrooms and locker rooms are common areas where school fires start, often related to intentional fire-setting, due to the relative lack of supervision in these areas. Preventative measures include supervision, fire education programs, proper kitchen and heating equipment maintenance, electrical inspections, and immediate reporting of all fire incidents to local fire authorities to enable intervention and identification of at-risk individuals.
