Thanksgiving is the leading day in the United States for home fires related to cooking according to the Illinois State Fire Marshall’s Office. Four times the normal amount of home fires happen on Thanksgiving because of range ovens and cook-tops account for 3 out of 5 home fires involved in cooking while 13% of convection ovens account for most of the rest.
Fire Marshall Spokesperson J.C. Fultz wants to remind Illinois residents to stay safe when they cook for the family during the holiday season. “Some of us don’t clean our ovens on a regular basis, there can be a fire in the oven. Keep the door to the oven shut and shut it off. If you’re cooking something on the stove top, smother a small flame with another pan by sliding it over the burning pan and leave the smothering pan or lid over it until it cools. If there is any doubt about fighting a small fire, just get out and call 9-1-1 or emergency responders once you’re outside.”
Since 2002, $8 million in property damage and 672 injuries have been caused by turkey-fryer related incidents, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday 3 years ago. Fultz says to ensure not to overfill with oil and fill up the pan with water. Fultz also recommends that you put the turkey in before turning on the heat and to have the turkey completely thawed before cooking, otherwise it will cause boil over and could cause a fire or even burns.
Additional cooking safety information can be found on the Illinois State Fire Marshall’s website.