West Virginia fire commission has failed for 50 years to make a plan to address high fire death rate
Summary
West Virginia has one of the highest house fire death rates in the U.S., averaging 32 deaths per year from 2009 to 2023. A recent audit found that the State Fire Commission has not created a required fire prevention plan for 50 years, but officials now plan to complete this plan by Fall 2026.Key Facts
- West Virginia averaged 32 house fire deaths per year between 2009 and 2023.
- The State Fire Commission was created in 1976 and required to make a fire prevention plan.
- No comprehensive fire prevention plan has been made in the past 50 years.
- The State Fire Marshal’s Office only began drafting the plan after a 2025 audit revealed the missing plan.
- Previous audits in 2000 and 2004 also noted the commission’s failure to produce the required plan.
- Factors contributing to high fire deaths include poverty, smoking rates, elderly population, and many old or manufactured homes.
- Public education and smoke detector distribution improved but remain fragmented without a unified plan.
- The State Fire Marshal’s Office aims to finish the first comprehensive plan by Fall 2026 to better address fire safety statewide.
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