Local Fire Departments promoting safe holiday cooking practices this Thanksgiving

Posted: November 20, 2012 - 1:30pm

Area Fire Departments are reminding residents to use caution when cooking this Thanksgiving.

The National Fire Protection Association says that Thanksgiving Day remains the number one day for home cooking fires in the United States. Home cooking fires peak on major holidays that traditionally include Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Deep fried turkeys are a popular Thanksgiving treat but, outdoor gas-fueled turkey fryers create serious safety concerns:

• Hot oil may spill onto the open burner and create fire - Some fryers has as much as 35 quarts of oil.
• Cooking oil may be heated beyond its cooking temperatures and the vapors can ignite.
• The fryer can easily tip over and spill hot, scalding oil onto anyone or anything nearby.
• The fryer's sides, lids and handles get extremely hot and can cause severe burns.

The Olathe Fire Department provided this video which shows a partially frozen turkey being placed in a propane-fueled fryer and the ensuing reaction of hot oil bubbling out of the fryer and onto the burner. The Fire Department says the spilled oil is hot enough to cause third degree burns in less than one second.

The Underwriters Laboratory Inc., a global product safety testing and certification source with more than a century of experience, does not certify any turkey fryer with the trusted UL mark.

Olathe Fire Captain and Fire Education Association of Kansas President Mike Hall says, "Help ensure a safer Thanksgiving holiday by leaving deep fried turkeys to the culinary professionals."

Information provided by the Olathe Fire Department.