HYANNIS – As Thanksgiving approaches, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is offering safety guidance for those planning to cook on the holiday.
According to the NFPA, incidences of home-cooking fires on Thanksgiving far exceed those on any other day of the year, with 1,160 estimated reported fires in 2021.
The Association warns that unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires and fire deaths, and residents should never leave their kitchens when performing stovetop cooking and carefully maintain their kitchens by leaving ample space between flammable items such as oven mitts and towels and the cooking area.
Those cooking a turkey should remain home until cooking is completed, check on it regularly, and employ cooking timers for items with longer cooking times.
The NFPA strongly warns against using turkey fryers that use cooking oil, citing the risk of major burns.
In the event of an oven fire, residents are advised to turn off the heat and refrain from opening the oven door. If there are any doubts as to whether a fire has been put out, the fire department should be contacted immediately.
“Thanksgiving is a hectic holiday with multiple dishes cooking and baking at the same time, along with lots of guests, entertaining, and other distractions that can make it easy to lose sight of what’s on the stove or in the oven,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at the NFPA.
“With all these factors at play, it’s not surprising that the number of cooking fires spikes so dramatically,” she said. “Keeping a close eye on what’s cooking and minimizing the likelihood of getting distracted are key steps people can take to ensure a festive, fire-free holiday.”
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