Fatal fires in New Zealand : where, when and why they occur.

Attempts to identify the people at risk of death from fire and the circumstances that put them at risk. The information was obtained from New Zealand Fire Service records. Five years were analyzed: from 1 January 1986 to 31 December 1990. New Zealand's death rate from fire of 11.7 per million of population is lower than many countries of similar social and economic background. Of the 10 compared, only 3 (Australia, the former Republic of Germany, and Switzerland) have a lower rate. In New Zealand, the size of community and the latitude had very little effect on the incidence of fatal fires. Most fatal fires were in residential buildings. Flats did not seem to be any more vulnerable than houses. A disproportionate number were in non-conventional dwellings. Apart from the manual alarms required in rest homes and some boarding houses, there seemed to be no detection or warning equipment in any residence. Rented properties, particularly those in private rental, seemed more at risk of fatal fire