From 2017 to 2019, around 2,300 residential fires were reported each year on Thanksgiving Day, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. It is the one day of the year with the most home-cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
The National Fire Protection Association discourages homeowners from using outdoor gas-fueled turkey fryers and wants to spread awareness of their dangers, even when used with extreme caution. To cook a turkey, outdoor fryers heat gallons of cooking oil to very high temperatures that can cause fires or severe injuries. The NFPA recommends buying a fried turkey at the store to avoid the following accidents.
Reasons to Avoid Turkey Fryers:
- The fryers are often bumped or tipped over when the turkey is put in or taken out, presenting a greater risk for the oil to splash or spill. Outdoor fryers that come with a stand pose the greatest risk of tipping.
- The oil is heated to such a high temperature for frying that the vapors could ignite, resulting in a fire.
- If you use a turkey fryer during rain or snow, the risk of injury is increased. When rain or snow hits the hot oil, the oil can splash or turn to steam, which can cause burns.
- Numerous fires have ignited when fryers were moved indoors or into a garage to keep the appliance out of the rain.
- Moving the turkey from the fryer to a serving plate presents another chance of contact with hot oil.
- Turkeys that are not completely thawed may cause the oil to splash, which can cause burns.
Skipping the turkey fryer? Here are other ways to keep your family safe from a fire this Thanksgiving.
Tips to Prevent Home-Cooking Fires:
- Keep flammable materials such as food packaging, towels, oven mitts, etc. away from the stovetop
- Do not leave the kitchen when cooking and set timers to avoid letting food burn, boil over, etc.
- Keep kids at least 3 feet away from the stove or other areas where hot food is being prepared
- Do not use the oven or stove if you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol to ensure you are alert
- If a small grease fire happens in the oven, turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed
- If a small grease fire happens on the stovetop, turn off the heat and smother the flames with a lid
Our team is here to help you with 24/7 emergency service in the event of a fire. CREW is experienced in everything from cleanup to restoration. We use state-of-the-art equipment to remove all smoke odors from walls, flooring and ducts. You can count on our team to bring your home back to life.
