The study covers 152 fires, where there were a total of 163 deaths. The study shows that people who live alone are overrepresented in the fatal fire statistics, and that the majority of the deceased were alone when the fire started. Older people are overrepresented in the statistics, while children are underrepresented. Risk factors were assessed for two age groups, those aged 67 or older and those below the age of 67. In the older group, the most important health-related risk factors were reduced mobility, mental disorders and smoking. For people under the age of 67, mental disorders, smoking and the influence of drugs and alcohol were the most important health-related risk factors.

Many of the fatal fires have an unknown cause, but open flame was the cause of most of the fatal fires that had a known cause. This category includes fires caused by, for example, smoking or candles. Several of the fires that were caused by smoking were so-called fires close to the body. These fires have often started in the deceased's clothes or in the furniture the person was sitting or lying in. When distinguishing fires close to the body and other fires, it emerges that fires close to the body affected older persons to a greater extent and were often caused by smoking, while the other fires affect more young people and were more likely to have other causes than smoking.

The study is funded by the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) and the Norwegian Building Authority (DiBK).

You may find the full report (pdf) in Norwegian with English summary here: https://risefr.no/media/rapporter/analyse-av-dodsbranner-i-norge-i-perioden-2015-2020.pdf