CONNECTICUT, USA — Connecticut residents should know that exercising caution while cooking is a must, especially on Thanksgiving.
The National Fire Protection Association reported that Thanksgiving is by far the leading day of the year for home cooking fires. The association said an estimated 1,610 home cooking fires were reported to U.S. fire departments on Thanksgiving Day 2022, which represented a 399% increase above the daily average.
There was an annual increase of three and a half times more cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day between 2018 and 2022 compared to a typical day on the calendar.
Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA, pointed out in a release that Thanksgiving is a hectic holiday with multiple dishes cooking and baking at the same time. Add in guests, entertaining and other distractions, and it can become easy to lose track of what’s on the oven.
“With all these factors at play, it’s no surprise that the number of cooking fires spikes so dramatically on Thanksgiving,” Carli added.
According to the NFPA, cooking is the leading cause overall of US home fires and injuries and the second-leading cause of home fire deaths. When it comes to cooking fires and fire deaths, unattended cooking is the leading contributing factor.
“Keep a close eye on what’s cooking and minimalizing the likelihood of getting distracted can greatly reduce the risk of cooking fires,” Carli said. “As simple as these preventative measures may sound, they truly can help ensure that everyone enjoys a festive, fire-free holiday.”
The NFPA listed a variety of tips to help everyone cook safely on Thanksgiving.
First, never leave the kitchen while cooking on the stovetop. Some types of cooking need continuous attention, especially those that involve frying or sautéing with oil. Also, when cooking a turkey, remain at home and check it regularly.
The NFPA recommended that people make use of timers to keep track of cooking times; this is very important for foods that have long cooking times. One should also keep items that can catch on fire at least three feet away from the cooking area. These include oven mitts, wooden utensils, food wrappers and towels.
Avoiding long sleeves and hanging fabrics is also helpful, and one should always cook with a lid beside the pan. If a small grease fire flares up, smother the flames by sliding the lid over the pan, and turn off the burner. Removing the cover could cause the fire to reignite. Let the pan cool for a long while.
In the case of an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed. Only open the oven door when the fire is completely out and stand to the side while doing that. If any doubt or concern remains, call the fire department for assistance.
Furthermore, children and pets should always be at least three feet away from the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried. Hot foods and liquids should be placed away from the table and counter edges.
The NFPA also strongly recommends against using turkey fryers that use cooking oil because this can be a recipe for devastating burns. Instead, one can purchase a fried turkey from a grocery store or restaurant or buy a fryer that is oil free.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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