Thanksgiving Fires

Courtesy of Servpro of Marlborough/Concord

During the holidays, fire risks and incidences increase and Thanksgiving is no exception. In fact, Thanksgiving fires are more frequent and cause more property damage than typical residential structure fires. The dollar loss per per incident increases 25% on Thanksgiving Day alone. As you may have guessed, cooking is the leading cause of residential fires. As you may have guessed, cooking is the leading cause of residential fires. In fact, 42% of Thanksgiving fires are the result of a cooking incident with unattended food being the main source of ignition. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, nearly 4,300 fires occur on Thanksgiving each year in the United State, resulting in nearly $27 million in property damage.

Turkey fryers are a growing concern regarding fire safety according to Underwriter Laboratories (UL), Inc. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and UL recommend the following precautionary safety measures when using turkey fryers:

Only use turkey fryers oudors, away from building and flammable material.

Make sure at least 2 fee of space is between the liquid propane tank and the fryer burner.

Keep children and pets well away frmo the fryer when in use and for several hours after cooking.

Never place the fryer on wooden decks or under a garage, carport or breezeway.

Never leave the fryer unattended; monitor the temperature closely.

If any smoke at all comes from the heating pot of oil, turn the burner off immediately as oil maybe overheating.

Cover bare skin and use pot holders.

Follow the manufacturer's recommendation for the amount of oil to add; do not over fill the fryer.