Black people are more likely than people of other races to die in accidental fires.
Recent tragedies in the Bronx and Philadelphia highlight a historical pattern of negligent policy-making and infrastructural decisions that put Black families at risk. nbcnews.to/3K4oPWJ
Recent tragedies in the Bronx and Philadelphia highlight a historical pattern of negligent policy-making and infrastructural decisions that put Black families at risk. nbcnews.to/3K4oPWJ
Though Black people make up about 13% of the U.S. population, they represent 25% of individuals killed in residential fires across the country, according to the New York State Department of Health.
“Racism influences almost every way to die by accident in America” expert Jessie Singer says. “Accidents are supposed to be unpredictable, unpreventable events. If that were true, accidental deaths would be randomly distributed across the U.S., but it’s not.”
Singer notes that Black people face high risk from power plant pollution, are more likely to live near hazardous waste sites, and endure higher rates of lead poisoning and water contamination, according to the Center for American Progress. nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/te…
The legacy of early zoning laws across the country that promoted segregation exists today in housing instability that forces Black people into neglected rental units rife with maintenance issues. nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/te…
The Bronx building did not have fire escapes or sprinkler systems. In Philadelphia, officials said there were at least four smoke detectors installed in the rowhouse, but none were working when the fire broke out in the three-floor building.
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