Deep-fried turkey is very popular for Thanksgiving, but also very unsafe. This prompts the State Fire Marshal and Delta Township Fire Department to sound the alarm about just how dangerous it can be to fry a turkey.
Officials say deep frying turkeys are not only dangerous but account for a large percent of house/garage fires every year. Studies show that home cooking fires are three times more likely on Thanksgiving because it is the top day for home cooking, family time and accidents. The Fire Marshal says consumers who choose to use portable deep fryers should know the fire risk including the potential for devastating burns and destruction of property.
Fire officials said always fry your turkey outside, far from your home or garage, and with the right amount of oil in the fryer. They said never deep fry a frozen turkey because the ice off the turkey will cause the oil to boil over. Michael Roberts, Fire Inspector, Delta Township Fire Department said: "oil and water don't mix so when you drop the frozen turkey in the oil it will instantly turn to water then to steam and all that does is make a great big flame and makes a big fireball."
And inside your home, there are precautions that you need to take as well. State Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer said that often times people get distracted when there are large crowds in the kitchen. "You bring a lot of people in your house, you bring a lot of stuff in, could be something as simple as a towel or something getting close to the burner and now the kitchen cabinets are on fire," Kevin Sehlmeyer said.
Cooking fires can easily be prevented by taking a few simple precautions:
• Start with a clean stove and oven.
• Remove food and grease buildup from burners, stovetop, and oven.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove to prevent pot tipping by young children or catching on loose clothing.
• Wear short sleeves or roll sleeves up, so not to catch your clothing on fire during cooking.
• Check food regularly while it's simmering, baking, boiling or roasting.
• Set timers to keep track of turkeys and other foods that require extended cooking times.
• Turn off the stove if you must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time.
• Keep children away from cooking areas; do not hold children while cooking.
• Keep kitchen clutter, potholders, towels, and food wrappers well away from the stove, candles and other open flames.
• Keep a pan lid or cookie sheet nearby; always use an oven mitt.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
• Have working smoke alarms in the home and have an escape plan the entire family knows. Have two (2) ways out if a fire occurs.
If a fire breaks out, remember you cannot use water to put out a grease fire. Throwing water on a grease fire will only make the flames worse so keep a fire extinguisher on hand. "Just get your normal five-pound fire extinguisher that you can pick up at any store," says LFD Engineer Steve Mazurek. If there is a fire, do not hesitate to call 911.
5 Dangers of Frying A Turkey from the US Fire Administration:
1. Turkey fryers can easily tip over, spilling hot cooking oil over a large area.
2. An overfilled cooking pot will cause cooking oil to spill when the turkey is put in, and a partially frozen turkey will cause cooking oil to splatter when put in the pot.
3. Even a small amount of cooking oil spilling on a hot burner can cause a large fire.
4. Without thermostat controls, deep fryers can overheat oil to the point of starting a fire.
5. The sides of the cooking pot, lid and pot handles can get dangerously hot.
