There were 3,300 college housing fires in 2005 — up from 1,800 in 1998, according to a report by the National Fire Protection Association.

From 2002 to 2005, there were 39 deaths and close to 400 injuries from fires in residences that include dormitories, fraternities, sororities and barracks.

Federal officials said the increase comes as students cram more electrical equipment into their dorm rooms, with microwaves and hot plates responsible for a majority of the fires. Most of the fatalities, however, were blamed on fires started by smoking or unattended candles.

Campus fires reached 3,200 in 1980 but dropped gradually over the next 19 years as schools took measures such as installing sprinklers in dorms and educating students about fire safety. The recent rise could be partly attributed to fire equipment that can better detect fires that might not have been reported in the past, the NFPA said.

SCHOOL FACT

For the 2005-06 academic year, average annual prices for undergraduate tuition, room and board were estimated to total $10,454 at public colleges and $26,889 at private colleges.

Between 1995-96 and 2005-06, prices for undergraduate tuition, room and board at public colleges rose by 30 percent while prices at private colleges rose by 21 percent, after adjustment for inflation.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education — National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics