News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Deep frying turkey this Thanksgiving could welcome some dangerous situations. When deep frying turkey, people should take steps to reduce the chances of fire.
That according to Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker.
Fire Chief Charlie Parker warns citizens of danger involved with deep frying turkey.
Parker said the station sees an increase in fire calls during the two days leading up to Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving itself.
“The two most common mistakes are the turkey is not completely thawed and that frozen part of that turkey does react with the oil,” Parker said. “And the next thing is that there is too much oil in the cooking pot. It’s a safety issue so it is something to really be cautious about when you are doing that. ”
Parker said people can follow easy steps to decrease the chance of an oil fire.
“Best way usually is to put the turkey in the pot and then fill it up, put the oil in there,” Parker said. “That way you know you are at a safe level before you start cooking because once the oil is heated it will catch fire quickly.”
As far as placement, Parker said the further away from the house the better.
“Be sure that when you are cooking this be sure it is at least 10 feet or more away from anything that can catch fire,” Parker said. “It needs to be outside in the driveway or the yard. Not close to the house, not on top of the deck. It needs to be in an open area.”
Parker said everyone, whether deep frying or not, should keep a close eye on food preparations.
“Cooking fires is one of the big things that we respond to,” Parker said. “Just make sure somebody is in the kitchen area when you are cooking.”
Parker said everyone should keep a fire extinguisher close during the Thanksgiving holiday.
