During a fire, where is a child likely to hide?

• A. Under the bed
• B. In a closet
• C. Behind the door
• D. In the attic

Answer: (B)

Fear during a fire pushes a child toward a small, enclosed space, which explains why a closet is a common hiding instinct. A closet offers darkness behind a door and a sense of security, and it’s usually quick to reach from a room, giving the child a feeling of protection from what’s happening outside. The other spots don’t fit that same instinct: hiding under a bed can still expose you to smoke as air flows through the room, standing behind the door isn’t a true hiding space and may leave you exposed, and the attic is far away, hot, and filled with smoke and flames. So a closet best matches how a child might naturally try to hide in a fire. In real emergencies, though, the goal is to evacuate to safety and reach a designated meeting point.