Weirdest Fire Incidents
February 24, 2024 by Emergency Reports Staff
While loading all 42 years of NFIRS data into our system, we couldn't help but notice one code field that stood out from all the rest. Apparently one of the options for "type of material contributing most to flame spread" is "wig" (code 75). Yes, "wig", as in, "oh no, my wig caught on fire, someone call 911!" We'd love to know how that code first got into the system. Was there one forward-thinking person who anticipated the risk of wigs spontenously combusting? Or was there already an incident and someone said, "hey, this could turn into a nationwide epidemic, we'd better add a code!"
Surprisingly, or maybe not, there have been 16 wig-related fire incidents over the years:
| Incident Key | Address | Date |
|---|---|---|
| SC_10308_6112004_041912_0 | Unidentified Address | 2004-06-11 |
| WA_34M02_5132005_0002553_0 | Unidentified Address | 2005-05-13 |
| MN_62210_9092005_0509561_0 | 700 Summit Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55102 | 2005-09-09 |
| KY_56279_10132006_0001019_0 | 4847 Sebree Lane, Louisville, KY 40218 | 2006-10-13 |
| HI_54000_1072008_0000217_0 | 49 Lipoa St, Apt 216, Kihei, HI 96753 | 2008-01-07 |
| NJ_16080_9012009_93946_0 | Unidentified Address | 2009-09-01 |
| NY_24001_11072009_0816399_0 | Unidentified Address | 2009-11-07 |
| CA_07090_2132010_0010253_0 | 4548 Wildcat Cir, Antioch, CA 94509 | 2010-02-13 |
| MI_08207_03022014_0003509_0 | 8358 Townsend St, Detroit, MI 48213 | 2014-03-02 |
| FL_10062_06032015_1106060_0 | 4871 NW 65th Ave, Lauderhill, FL 33319 | 2015-06-03 |
| NJ_07170_10052015_2186_0 | 312 Hawthorne St, Orange, NJ 07050 | 2015-10-05 |
| VA_65000_02132017_0003020_0 | 5104 Auburn Ln, Hampton, VA 23666 | 2017-02-13 |
| NY_34051_12102018_9920066_0 | 153 John St, Syracuse, NY 13208 | 2018-12-10 |
| NV_03001_04152020_2009753_0 | 786 Alder Green Ave, Henderson, NV 89002 | 2020-04-15 |
| VA_65000_07312021_2125935_0 | 4009 W Mercury Blvd, Hampton, VA 23666 | 2021-07-31 |
| MA_27321_10192022_1000005_0 | 39 Worcester St, West Boylston, MA 01583 | 2022-10-19 |
2021 Hampton, VA Wig Fire
A beauty supply store in Hampton, Virginia, Apple Tree Beauty Empire, faced a devastating fire that occurred on Saturday, leaving the business in ruins with significant damage to its interior. Firefighters battled the flames for approximately three hours during the initial incident, resulting in minor injuries to one firefighter. Unfortunately, the ordeal continued on Monday when a spark reignited the fire, prompting firefighters to return to the scene. Fortunately, there was no additional damage to the building, but the incident stirred concern among community members and business owners, like Kiva King, who expressed sympathy for the store's owners and the challenges they would face in recovering from such a setback.
Kiva King, a local salon owner and patron of Apple Tree Beauty Empire, visited the site to witness the aftermath firsthand. She highlighted the significance of the store within the community and emphasized the difficulty of replacing its specialized products, particularly given supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. King expressed empathy for the owners, acknowledging the extensive time and effort it would take for them to rebuild their business. The incident underscores the resilience required for small businesses to overcome such adversities, especially amidst ongoing challenges posed by external factors like the pandemic. Despite the setback, the cause of the original fire remains under investigation, leaving unanswered questions regarding the circumstances leading to the unfortunate events.
Data Source and Methodology
The data above count NFIRS basic incidents, year 2022, for all states, where mutual aid is not given (codes 3 and 4), and the type of material contributing most to flame spread is "wig" (code 75)
Mutual aid given incident reports are not counted in order to avoid duplicates.