SC fire deaths jump year-over-year in 2023. Here’s how many and which counties were deadliest

Patrick McCreless
·3 min read

South Carolina had a year-over-year jump in fire related deaths in 2023, state statistics show.

There were 98 fire fatalities in 2023, up from 95 fire deaths the year prior, according to the S.C. State Fire Marshal’s Office. It’s the latest statistics for a state that has ranked among the 10 states with the most fatal house fires in recent years, a new study shows.

SC fire death statistics 2023

  • According to the Fire Marshal’s Office, 76% of the state’s fire deaths in 2023 were in homes.

  • The most common causes of the fire deaths were electrical at 24%, smoking at 13% and cooking at 10%.

  • 61% of the fire fatalities were male and 39% were female.

  • 11% of the total fires had multiple fatalities.

  • Of those who died, 33% were between 50 and 69 years old; 31% were over 70 years old; 27% were 20 to 49 years old and 10% were under 20 years old.

SC counties with most fire deaths 2023

Of the 30 South Carolina counties with reported fire deaths in 2023, Spartanburg had the most at 11 fatalities. Most of the deaths were caused by a mix of smoking, electrical, heating and vehicle fires.

Horry County came in second with 10 fire related deaths. It’s statistics were a bit skewed in 2023, however, given that it had a rare plane crash in July in which five people were killed.

Third on the list was Greenville with eight fire fatalities. It too had a mix of smoking, cooking and vehicle fires as main causes of death.

Below are all the counties with reported fire fatalities in 2023.

  • York: 5

  • Horry: 10

  • Sumter: 6

  • Spartanburg: 11

  • Aiken: 2

  • Pickens: 1

  • Anderson: 1

  • Greenville: 8

  • Lancaster: 4

  • Darlington: 2

  • Richland: 5

  • Anderson: 4

  • Berkeley: 1

  • Greenwood: 1

  • Beaufort: 4

  • Laurens: 3

  • Darlington: 1

  • Orangeburg: 2

  • Colleton: 1

  • Florence: 3

  • Lexington: 3

  • Charleston: 2

  • Oconee: 2

  • Dorchester: 1

  • Cherokee: 2

  • Williamsburg: 1

  • Saluda: 1

  • Calhoun: 1

  • Lee: 1

  • Fairfield: 2

SC fatal house fire ranking

A new study by firecashbuyers.com analyzed data from the U.S. Fire Administration to rank states with the most fatal house fires. South Carolina ranked ninth, with an average of 10.8 deaths per 1,000 fires.

Alaska came in first with 22.9 deaths per 1,000 fires. Meanwhile, Oklahoma was ranked below South Carolina at 10th with 10.2 deaths per 1,000 fires.

SC fire death prevention

The S.C. Emergency Management Division offers several tips to help families prevent house fire deaths.

  • Install smoke alarms on every level of your home.

  • Test and clean smoke alarms once a month and replace batteries once a year.

  • Review escape routes with your family and practice them.

  • Teach family members to stay low to the floor when escaping a fire.

  • Store flammable liquids in approved containers in well-ventilated storage areas.

  • Sleep with your door closed.

  • Install fire extinguishers in your home and show family members how to use them.

  • If you are escaping a fire, use the back of your hand to check closed doors for heat. Do not open a hot door, instead try to escape through a window.

  • If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop and roll until the fire is extinguished.