Danger of Mobile Home Fires

On January 25^th, the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office reported that Klein firefighters responded to an intense mobile home fire at about 6:00 p.m., in the 14000 block of Walters Road. Upon arrival, they found the home engulfed in heavy smoke and roaring flames. After the fire was extinguished, regrettably, a woman's body was found in the still smoking ruins. A spokesperson for the Fire Marshal's Office confirmed the fatality; but noted that the cause of death remained under investigation by the new Harris County Institute of Forensic Science.

It's obviously premature to attribute the woman's death to the fire, as foul play may ultimately prove to be the culprit. But, given the fact of death, it's equally possible that she did die in the fire. Therefore, the hazards of fire associated with mobile homes are worth review. There are a great many mobile homes in use in the vast network of suburbs and small towns that ring Houston, and in the countryside beyond. A considerable number of these are new, efficient, and safe. But, probably just as many are old, worn, and present serious risks of catching fire; and then of injuring or killing their occupants, when they do. So, focusing on the latter is worthwhile.

For many years, mobile homes, or trailers as they were then referred to, were quite frankly firetraps. Made of wood, even including the frames, and full of flammable materials, they were easy to ignite and they burned like torches. But, in 1971, California mandated significantly higher building requirements, and other states quickly followed suit. Then, in 1976, the federal government finally stepped in to require sweeping changes. The Department of Housing and Urban Development, (HUD), adopted mandatory construction safety standards that revolutionized the industry. As new models came out, the industry began to refer to units as manufactured housing, to distance itself from the obvious negative connotations of older models. Significantly, such factory-built construction is not subject to local or state building codes. Rather, they must conform to strict requirements set out by HUD, in Title 24 (CFR24), Part 3280-Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. However, once on site, they do have to conform to local fire codes, zoning restrictions, etc.

As a result, manufactured housing is now no more statistically likely to catch fire than other forms of construction. But, given that they do contain substantial synthetic materials, they tend to burn hotter and faster than other types of buildings, especially those made of wood. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that fires cause one-third of all fatal home injuries, and the United States ranks eighth among the 25 most highly developed nations, in annual fire fatalities. The numbers have steadily declined in recent years, but are still significant. On average, nationally, a person dies in a fire every 169 minutes, and someone is injured every 30 minutes. 85% of all fire deaths occur in homes. In 2010, fire departments responded to 384,000 home fires, which killed 2,640 people and injured another 13,350, not including firefighters. Most victims die from smoke and toxic gas inhalation, not actual burn ijuries. Smoking is the lead cause of fire, closely followed by cooking. And billions are lost in these often preventable tragedies. Sadly, the demographics most vulnerable are those most likely to live in more affordable manufactured housing, including the elderly, African- and Native-Americans, rural residents, poor people and the children of such groups, especially under the age of four. Most fires occur in winter months; and 37% in homes without smoke alarms.

When all of this is applied specifically to manufactured housing, statistics confirm that residents of such are more likely to be injured, and are twice as likely to die. Analyst think that part of the reasons for these alarming numbers are based in characteristics unique to manufactured housing. They are off the ground, which aids in oxygen access to fire. Residents commonly store things beneath them, which add readily available fuel. Older units tend to have problematic heaters, stoves, and electrical systems. Settling can rupter or strain electrical wires and gas lines. And, highly flammable fluids or gases are stored in or near them.

Therefore, if you or loved ones live in manufactured housing, take reasonable, common sense precautions, to insure safety. The unit should be level and solidly supported. Power and gas lines should be properly affixed and secured. Heaters, stoves and electrical components should be periodically checked, properly maintained, and serviced or replaced, when necessary. Smoke alarms should be present and functional. Exit routes should be accessible and planned out. And fire extinguishers should be readily available and fully operational. These simple steps should eliminate all but the most unusual fires.