Beware of clothing catching fire

What is Clothing Fire?

The phenomenon where the fire from a gas stove or heater during cooking, or a candle flame on a Buddhist altar, catches onto clothing and immediately ignites is called "clothing ignition." "Clothing ignition" can occur not only with devices that produce flames, such as gas stoves, but also when clothing comes into contact with heat sources that do not produce flames, such as electric heaters.

Occurrence Status of Clothing Fires

　According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Fire Statistics (Fire Incident Statistics)," from 2019 to 2023, a total of 5,862 people have died in fires (excluding arson suicides, etc.), with 4,759 deaths occurring in residential fires. Among them, 3,516 were Older Adults aged 65 and over (73.8%), meaning that approximately three out of four residential fire victims are Older Adults. (Figure 1)

　According to statistics from 2023, out of 1,228 fire-related deaths, 97 were due to clothing catching fire, and 85 of these (87.6%) were Older Adults aged 65 and over. (Figure 2)

　From the first year of Reiwa to the fifth year of Reiwa, there have been 208 cases of clothing catching fire over five years. The causes include handling other open flames and a high proportion during cooking. Therefore, please be careful when handling open flames and use flame-retardant aprons, etc. (Figure 3)

Accident Prevention Tips

Do not get too close

　Caution is necessary when burning anything outdoors. On windy days, clothing can easily catch fire, and once ignited, the fire spreads quickly and is very dangerous.

Avoid wearing clothes made of flammable materials or clothes with flammable shapes

• 　When handling fire, avoid wearing clothes with wide sleeves or hems as they are prone to catching fire.
• 　When cooking, wear an apron or similar clothing treated with flame-retardant processing to reduce the risk of fire.
• 　Stop placing items like seasonings behind the gas stove and keep the area tidy and organized.
• 　When using fireworks, be careful that the fire from the fireworks or candles does not come into contact with your clothing.

If your clothes catch fire

Extinguish with water

　Immediately douse with water to extinguish the fire.

Take off, pat, and pour water

　If you can quickly take off your clothes, remove them immediately.

Stop running, stop on the spot, fall down and roll

　Also, if there is no water nearby, do not run around; instead, roll on the ground where you are and press the burning area against the ground to extinguish the fire. (Stop, Drop & Roll)