IHS: Thanksgiving Ranks As No. 1 Day Of The Year When Home Fires Occur

Unattended cooking is the most common contributing factor.

Shutterstock photo.

INDIANAPOLIS – Did you know Thanksgiving Day ranks as the number one day of the year when home cooking fires occur.

Indiana Homeland Security and the National Fire Protection Association are reminding Hoosiers how to stay safe while cooking this holiday season.

Cooking Safety Tips:

• Stay in the kitchen while cooking food on the stovetop, and stay at home while food is in the oven. Unattended cooking is the most common contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths (NFPA).
• Remove items from the stovetop that could catch fire such as oven mitts, utensils, towels and food packages.
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove to avoid burns from the appliance or spilled food.
• Deep fryers should always be used outdoors at a safe distance from buildings, porches and any other flammable materials.
• Never leave the fryer unattended.
• If the meat is not completely thawed before being cooked in a fryer, a grease fire could occur.
• Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby and never use water to douse a grease fire.
• If a fire is too large to address safely, evacuate the home and call 911.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports more than 200 turkey-fryer incidents have occurred in the last two decades (1998-2018), resulting in almost $10 million in property loss.

For more information, visit Get Prepared: Thanksgiving.