Fire investigators are looking for answers to what caused the fire at the apartment building Kristopher Love resided in with his mother. Anela Hobbs suffered burn injuries as a result of her attempt to save her son from the fire. Neighbors also struggled in an attempt to save his life. News reports say the family’s fire detectors were in working order.
Burns and fires are one of the leading causes of death for children. In fact, burn injuries are the second most common cause of death in children, second to motor vehicle accidents. Thousands of children are hospitalized every year with burn injuries. Approximately 3,000 children die a year from burn injuries. Approximately 500 children die in fires annually. Approximately 83, 000 children are treated in emergency departments annually for burn injuries. If burn injuries are severe, the survivors suffer varying degrees of permanent physical disfigurement and psychological trauma. Burns are widely regarded as one of the most painful and complex injuries that a victim may endure. Survival and recovery from burn injuries is often very difficult and lengthy with serious complications along the way. In fact, statistics show that children under four years old are two times more likely to sustain a burn injury than older children and therefore their death rate from burn injuries is higher. Death rates are highest in the younger population. Males and children are the most likely victims of serious burn injuries.
House fires are responsible for very lethal injuries and are usually associated with inhalation injuries due to smoke exposure. It is known that a majority of burn victims are burned from residential fires. And a majority of house fires or injuries involve cooking equipment or cigarettes. Inhalation injury is almost always associated with structural fire and accounts for a much early and late mortality.
