Fire stations are supposed to be the community’s hardened infrastructure, but a growing number of departments have watched their own buildings burn.
In “‘America (Firehouses) Burning’: What are you doing about it?” Marc Bashoor argues that too many station fires follow a predictable pattern: older facilities, limited monitoring, no sprinklers and ignition sources tied to apparatus, batteries, kitchens or other everyday station operations. He notes that many of the stations that burned in recent years lacked sprinkler systems and that many also did not have working alarm systems.
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That is the central issue. The problem is not just that a fire starts. The problem is that it starts in a building that often has firefighters sleeping inside, expensive apparatus parked in close quarters and few layers of protection to stop a small fire from becoming a career-altering loss.
Common causes and examples
Recent firehouse fires point to a consistent set of ignition sources — apparatus issues, electrical failures, batteries, cooking and, in some cases, intentional acts.
- Apparatus fires: Many recent firehouse fires appear to have originated with apparatus malfunctions, likely engine or electrical fires. In Prince George’s County, Maryland, smoke alarms alerted firefighters inside the station after an ambulance caught fire, and officials said the blaze burned into the ceiling and roof. The firehouse did not have sprinklers. In Concord, North Carolina, a reserve ladder truck caught fire inside Station 8, and the town said the fire was believed to have started in the cab area.
- Electrical issues: According to the U.S. Fire Administration, electrical malfunction is one of the leading causes of nonresidential building fires, alongside cooking, intentional fires and other careless fires. Older stations with aging infrastructure, vehicle charging equipment and improvised electrical loads are not immune from those risks.
- Lithium-ion battery: A fire at the Stacyville Fire Department in Maine started on a shelf where multiple lithium-ion batteries were charging. Additionally, a station fire in Germany reportedly began in or on a piece of apparatus with lithium batteries. NFPA warns that lithium-ion batteries can overheat, catch fire and even explode when they are damaged or improperly used, charged or stored.
- Kitchen fires: Just like residential structure fires, station fires can start when food is left unattended. A Nashville station fire started after firefighters were dispatched to an apartment fire and forgot to turn off the stove, leaving a pot of food cooking. Per the USFA, cooking was the leading cause of nonresidential building fires from 2014 to 2023.
- Arson: At least one recent firehouse fire referenced in Bashoor’s article was deemed arson. USFA’s national estimates likewise list intentional fires among the leading causes of nonresidential building fires.
Tips for safety and prevention
Preventing a firehouse fire starts with recognizing that stations contain multiple everyday hazards all under one roof, which makes layered protection essential.
- Prioritize early detection and suppression: Fire alarms, smoke detection, carbon monoxide detection and automatic sprinkler systems provide the strongest protection when a fire starts overnight, during low staffing periods or when crews are out on a call. These systems are what turn a small incident into a manageable event instead of a catastrophic station loss.
- Treat apparatus bays as high-risk areas: Departments should build strong inspection and maintenance practices around apparatus wiring, charging equipment, shoreline connections and aftermarket electronics. Minor electrical issues in a rig parked indoors can quickly become a building fire.
- Set clear rules for lithium-ion battery charging and storage: Battery charging should not be handled casually in common areas or on overcrowded shelves. Use approved chargers, keep charging stations away from combustibles, remove damaged or overheating batteries from service, and designate controlled charging locations whenever possible.
- Tighten kitchen safety practices: Cooking remains one of the most common fire risks in any occupied building, and stations are no exception. Simple measures such as automatic shutoff devices, clear leave-the-kitchen procedures, and routine reminders can reduce the chance that a meal interrupted by a run turns into a fire.
- Separate living quarters from operational hazards: The more effectively sleeping and living spaces are separated from apparatus bays and other high-risk areas, the more time crews have to detect a problem, escape safely and contain the fire before it spreads through the station.
- Prepare for fires that start when no one is watching: Many station fires are discovered only after smoke is visible or alarms activate. Remote monitoring, camera systems, access control and automatic notifications can help departments protect facilities that are older, lightly staffed or unoccupied for stretches of time.
- Review station risks the same way you review fireground risk: Departments routinely train on emergency scene safety, but station safety deserves the same discipline. Regular walkthroughs, hazard assessments, electrical reviews and policy updates can identify the weak points before they become headline-making losses.
Bottom line
Fire stations are catching fire for many of the same reasons other buildings do — electrical failures, cooking mistakes, intentional acts — but with an added layer of risk from apparatus and battery charging inside the building. As Bashoor argues, the fire service cannot keep preaching alarms, sprinklers and prevention to the public while leaving its own facilities under-protected.
The takeaway for chiefs and local officials is straightforward. Focus first on the hazards most likely to ignite a station fire — apparatus, electrical systems, batteries and kitchens — then invest in the protections most likely to stop one from becoming catastrophic: monitored alarms, CO detection, sprinklers, maintenance discipline and clear station policies. The causes may vary, but the prevention playbook is not complicated. Departments just have to decide to act on it.
