Columbia, S.C. - November 24, 2008 - Unexpected guests are sometimes a part of the holidays, but you don't want the fire department arriving because your feast is going up in flames. Thanksgiving Day is the peak day for home cooking fires. The South Carolina Insurance News Service urges those doing the cooking, indoors and outdoors, to keep safety in mind. On Thanksgiving Day there are typically more than three times the daily average number of cooking fires. Three in 10 reported home fires start in the kitchen-more than any other place in the home. According to the National Fire Protection Association about 1,400 home structure fires involving cooking equipment occur per year.
The leading factor in the ignition of residential cooking fires is food left unattended, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Each year, about 5,200 Thanksgiving Day fires require a fire department response, causing $21 million in property losses and result in roughly 51 injuries and 11 fatalities. Cooking is the cause in approximately 43% of these fires.
In addition to indoor cooking fires, fires related to the use of turkey fryers have been known to cause property damage, injuries and even deaths as house fires and splashing of hot oil occur. Frying appears to be the cooking method with the highest risk of fire. From 1998 to 2007, there were 138 reported incidents involving turkey fryers according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. These resulted in 36 injuries and nearly $8 million in property loss.
Deep fryers involve larger quantities of hot cooking oil than that involved in regular frying, and turkey fryers involve extremely large quantities of hot cooking oil. Tests have shown that many turkey fryers have a risk of tipping over, overheating, or spilling hot oil, leading to fires and burns.
"Many turkeys are overcooked during Thanksgiving, and frying a turkey is a great way to keep the cooking outdoors," said Brian Dowler, public relations manager for the National Wild Turkey Federation based in Edgefield, South Carolina. "By following the manufacturer's directions and safety tips, frying a turkey can be a safe way to cook your Thanksgiving bird."
The South Carolina Insurance News Service offers the following safety tips for cooking on this Thanksgiving holiday:
Indoors:
· Remain in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food.
· If you must leave the home for even a short period of time, turn off the stove or oven.
· Whether you are simmering, baking, boiling or roasting food, check it regularly. Use a timer to remind you the stove or oven is on.
· Stay alert. Don't cook if you are sleepy, have been drinking alcohol or have taken medicine that makes you drowsy.
· Keep things that burn-including pot holders, oven mitts, paper or plastic-away from the stove.
· Don't store things that can burn in an oven, microwave, or toaster oven.
· Clean food and grease off burners, stovetops and ovens.
· Wear clothing with sleeves that are short, close fitting or tightly rolled up.
· Keep kids away from cooking areas by enforcing a "kid-free zone" of 3 feet (1 meter) around the stove.
· Use the stove's back burners whenever possible, and turn pot handles inward to reduce the risk that pots with hot contents will be knocked over.
· Never hold a small child while cooking.
Outdoors (Turkey Frying):
· Always cook turkeys outside, away from any structure and on a flat, hard surface, preferably on concrete. Never cook on a wooden porch or deck, as the wood can
catch fire in the event of a spillage. NEVER cook in a garage!
· Always wear long sleeves and long pants, and natural fiber clothing, i.e. wool, cotton, etc. Synthetic fibers such as nylon or polyester can melt to your skin if they catch fire. Insulated gloves are recommended when placing the turkey into the fryer. Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.
· Keep all small children and pets away from the cooker and flame to avoid knocking the cooker over and causing burns.
· Make sure the turkey is fully thawed first. Frying a frozen or partially thawed turkey is not safe. Dry the turkey as best as possible prior to placing it in the oil. If it is wet, the water and hot grease will react and cause the grease to pop and spray or cause an explosion.
· To measure how much oil is needed, first put the turkey in the fryer; next add water to just barely above the top of the turkey; remove the turkey and measure the new water level with a pencil or etching tool. This is the level to which you add the oil.
· Peanut oil is recommended vs. vegetable oil. It won't breakdown at the high temperatures (325-350 degrees). Use a 12 inch turkey frying thermometer to measure the temperature of the oil.
· The rule of thumb is roughly 3 minutes per pound of turkey, plus an additional 5 minutes, or until the turkey floats. For example, a 20 lb bird will take 40-50 minutes to cook. When slicing, if the turkey is not thoroughly cooked, microwave uncooked pieces. Don't eat raw or under-cooked turkey.
· Allow the oil to thoroughly cool before emptying. Hot oil can take 3-4 hours to cool back to room temperature.
· Excessive use of alcohol and hot boiling oil don't mix.
· Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire.
