Leaving Home Safety
Collegiate Fires
§Major causes and contributing factors
–Alcohol
–Cooking
–Smoking
–Fire Play/Arson
–Candles & Incense
–Electricity
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§
Alcohol:  We’ve already noted that alcohol is frequently a factor in college fires, whatever the direct cause of the fire.
Cooking:  A major cause of college fires and burn injuries.
Smoking:  Cigarettes discarded carelessly in trash or upholstery,
                 especially at parties, have often ignited fatal fires.
Fire Play/Arson:  Both intentional fire-setting and merely playing around with fire can have tragic consequences. You must assume responsibility for challenging and reporting any such behavior.
Candles:  The increase in campus regulations banning candle and incense burning reflects their increasing popularity, especially among young people, and their increased role in starting fires.
Electricity:  Overloaded sockets and cords placed under rugs are frequent sources of fires in student housing.  Many structures housing today’s students are not wired to handle the growing use of electronics.
(Bridge)  We’ll look at each of these factors in more detail, starting with alcohol, an all too common factor in student housing fires.