In this study, information from fire statistics and other sources has been analyzed to get more detailed knowledge than before about who dies in fires and why. This will help to implement more targeted measures in order to reduce the number of people perishing in fires.  The study attempted to answer the following questions: 1. What risk factors are associated with those who perish in fires in Norway? 2. What are the causes of fatal fires in Norway? 3. How can fatal fires best be prevented?  A total of 517 fires with 571 fatalities are registered in the official fire statistics in the 2005 – 2014 period. We have examined 347 police investigation reports, identified 387 deceased and  extracted information from 248 medical records.