Thanksgiving Leads The Way For Home Cooking Fires

The Cookeville Fire Department wants you to keep safety in mind while cooking the Thanksgiving meal on Thursday.

Chief Daryl Blair said turkey fryers can pose a danger if not used properly. He said the units should never be overfilled with oil.

“When that oil spills over and you’ve got an open flame underneath, it can cause big problems,” Blair said. “But the main thing is we want everyone to have happy, safe, and blessed Thanksgiving holiday. Enjoy it, but just be safe when you’re doing it.”

Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors, on a solid level surface away from buildings and flammable materials. You should also make sure the turkey is completely thawed out before placing it inside the fryer.

Blair said residents typically make good decisions when using deep frying units.

“One call that I can remember, a deck caught on fire when they put the turkey in the fryer and the oil spilled out,” Blair said. “Of course, with the open flame, the oil got on the deck and stuff and caused minor damage. It could have been more severe, but they did the proper thing and didn’t panic.”

Thanksgiving has become the peak day for home cooking fires. According to the National Fire Protection Association, U.S. fire departments responded to 1,600 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving in 2017. Blair said unattended cooking was the leading contributing factor in cooking fires.

“People have so much going on that sometimes they forget. That’s just human nature,” Blair said. “But common sense is the best practice. If you do have an oil or grease fire, don’t ever use water to try to extinguish it. All that will do is just spread it.”

Blair said everyone should keep a fire extinguisher close during the Thanksgiving holiday.