Tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, is already one of the most dangerous days of the year in the kitchen, so the State Fire Marshal is strongly encouraging everyone to review a few safety tips to keep things as smooth and error free as possible.
Kevin Sehlmeyer is the State Fire Marshal for Michigan, and he urges fire safety on Thanksgiving Day, which is the leading day of the year for home cooking fires. He warns that consumers who use portable deep fryers to cook turkeys should know the dangers involved and consider an oil-less fryer which is a safer alternative to cook their turkey.
Sehlmeyer also emphasizes that portable propane fueled turkey fryers, a popular and faster cooking method for your Thanksgiving turkey, pose a considerable fire risk if not done correctly. He notes, “Incorrect methods of deep frying a turkey in several gallons of hot oil over 350 degrees is as flammable as gasoline, if the cooking oil vapors ignite.” He cautions, “Never use a portable deep fryer in a garage, on or under a deck, breezeway, porch or inside any structure. Improperly deep frying turkeys can be dangerous and accounts for the high number of house and garage fires reported each year.” According to the National Fire Protection Association, portable deep fryers that use oil, as currently designed, are not suitable for acceptably safe use by even well-informed and careful consumers.
Portable deep fryers use a lot of oil, and vapors coming off the heated cooking oil are highly combustible. Care must be used to not overfill the cooking oil in a portable deep fryer or you will get splash-back and boil over when immersing the turkey. Grease fires commonly start with cooking oil spilling over the sides of the fryer onto the flames below. Vapors can also ignite if the unit is heated beyond its cooking temperature of 350 degrees. If rain or snow hits the hot cooking oil, the cooking oil may splatter or turn to steam that can lead to burns.
Sehlmeyer says oil-less electric or infrared models are much safer methods of cooking your Thanksgiving turkey, provided instructions are followed carefully. He offers these safety precautions to take when using a portable propane deep fryer include:
- Read and follow the manufacturer’s user guide.
- Always use the portable deep fryer on a flat surface, well away from houses, garages, decks, trees, bushes and other outdoor hazards.
- Use a portable deep fryer with a gas valve controller.
- Make sure your turkey is completely thawed and dry the turkey prior to putting it in the fryer. Extra water or placing a frozen turkey in the fryer will cause the cooking oil to bubble and spill over.
- Never leave the portable deep fryer unattended.
- Keep children and pets away from the portable deep fryer.
- Allow at least two (2) feet of space between the liquid propane tank and the portable deep fryer burner.
- ONLY use cooking oil recommended by the deep fryer manufacturer. Do not use cheaper or different types of cooking oil for the portable deep fryer because the cooking oils have different ignition temperatures when heated.
- Do not overfill the portable deep fryer with cooking oil that can result in the overflow of the cooking oil and a flash fire when immersing the turkey into the cooking oil.
- Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts as the deep fryer lid and handle can become very hot; wear safety goggles to protect eyes from cooking oil splatter.
- Be careful with marinades. Cooking oil and water do not mix and water causes the cooking oil to spill over, causing a fire or even an explosion hazard during cooking oil boil over.
- If the cooking oil begins to smoke, immediately turn the propane tank to OFF by closing the propane tank valve.
- Keep a fire extinguisher (dry-powder) ready at all times. NEVER use water to extinguish a cooking oil or grease fire.
Cooking in the kitchen has its own fire risks with stovetops and ovens working overtime, and busy cooks becoming distracted preparing the holiday feast while entertaining guests. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the average number of reported residential fires more than doubles on Thanksgiving Day compared to any other day of the year. Two-thirds (67-percent) of home cooking fires start when food or cooking materials catch on fire. More than half (55-percent) of home cooking fire injuries happened when people tried to fight the fire themselves. The Fire Marshal warns, “Always keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby and know how to use it,” adding, “If you don’t know how to use a fire extinguisher, don’t try and fight a fire yourself. Immediately call 9-1-1 in such emergencies and quickly evacuate your family and friends out of the home.”
Additionally, Sehlmeyer says, “Unattended cooking is the leading cause of residential fires, especially on Thanksgiving when busy cooks can be distracted.” He suggests, “Never leave cooking unattended, not even for a second. Cooking fires can easily be prevented by following 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 to prevent burns.
- Wear short sleeves or roll sleeves up, so as 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 burners.
- Keep a pan lid or cookie sheet nearby; always use an oven mitt.
- For an oven fire, turn off the oven and keep the door closed.
Michigan residents are also reminded to test the smoke alarms of elderly family members when visiting them during the Thanksgiving holiday. The Michigan Community Risk Reduction Task Force has identified that people over the age of 60 are at the greatest risk to die in residential fires in Michigan according to fire reports submitted for 2017-2018.
Methods to reduce your chance of dying in a fire:
- Check each smoke alarm monthly.
- Change smoke alarms out completely every ten (10) years.
- Change the batteries in 9-volt smoke alarms every six (6) months.
- Your home should have a smoke alarm on every level and in every sleeping area.
The Bureau of Fire Services wishes everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving. Visit the Bureau of Fire Services website at www.michigan.gov/bfs for more fire safety information.
