[kbart]

According to statistics[0] you are about >5 times more likely to die in fire in India than pretty much any Western country. Just because you don't see it personally doesn't prove anything. What houses are made of are less relevant than finish and insulation materials used, furniture, carpets, type of heating, stove etc.

0. http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/fires/by-c...

[olau]

Yeah, fires are rare but deadly. Building codes for materials and escape routes, fire alarms and similar are preventive measures.

For instance, where I live there's a rule for houses that all rooms where people might sleep in must have a window big enough to allow a person to escape. Of course, unless you're interested in building a house, you'll never know about this rule.

It's a bit like a seatbelt or an airbag. How often have you actually needed those? Perhaps never. But the day an accident happens, it could easily save your life.