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Arson Facts
Common Terms:
Arson: act of actual or attempted malicious and
deliberate destruction of property by fire.
Arson Fraud: Arson committed by or at the behest
of the insured
Impact of Arson:
Arson affects all of us, in one way or another:
1. Injury or Loss of Life
2. Loss of Business (Jobs)
3. Loss of Homes and Belongings
4. Loss of recreational area (Forest Fire)
5. Environmental damage and pollution
6. Loss of public or private transportation
Arson fires
create danger for firefighters who must battle these fires
Arson is the top cause of fires in non-residential structures.
Arsonists strike for many reasons, including spite and revenge, vandalism,
crime concealment, insurance fraud, competition and extortion.
Arson is an epidemic that robs communities of their valuable tax base
and forces citizens to pay higher insurance premiums and taxes.
Arson and suspected
arson are the United States largest cause of property damage, adding up to a
sum of nearly 500,000 fires per year. Arsons are approximately 25% of all
fires throughout the US, equaling greater than a $2 billion monetary loss
per year. Arson is the result of 1/5 of all property loss as well. In 1994
41,000 vehicles fell into arsonists hands adding up to a sum of $137 million
in property loss alone. The second leading cause of residential fire deaths
is arson.
Arson Facts
- There are about 500,000
arson fires each year in the United States.
- Approximately $4,000 in property is lost each minute as a result of
arson.
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Arson is the leading cause of dollar loss from fire, exceeding $2
billion annually.
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Arson is the second leading cause of residential fire deaths.
- Juveniles account for 55% of
arson arrest nationally.
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