The Eight Leading Causes of Hospital Fires

While not nearly as 'hot' a topic as, say, swine flu, hospital fires will also wreak havoc at hospitals across the country this year. They'll cause injuries (sometimes fatal) to patients and staff, result in millions of dollars in property damages and thrust hospitals into local or even national news headlines.

While some of the causes are due to theobvious (careless disposal of smoking materials and fires related to cooking), other causes may surprise you. And they're all preventable, according to annual data from the National Fire Protection Association, which sets structural fire safety standards for hospitals, physician offices, and other buildings.

The NFPA tracked the causes of hospital fires between 2003 and 2006 and documented the most common causes. During that time period, some 1,600 fires broke out at hospitals and hospice facilities, resulting in one death, 29 injuries and $5.5 million worth of property damage.

In this special report, we highlight the eight most common causes of fires at hospitals or hospice facilities. Click here to read on.