MURRAY – With all the chaos many households experience while preparing for the big Thanksgiving dinner, perhaps it’s not surprising that a few potentially dangerous accidents have been known to happen on that day.
In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home cooking fires in the United States. According to a recent news release, an estimated 1,446 home cooking fires were reported to U.S. fire departments on Thanksgiving Day in 2023, reflecting a 388% increase over the daily average. The only other days that come close are Christmas Day and Christmas Eve, which the NFPA said rank as the second- and third-leading days for home cooking fires.
Murray Fire Department Chief Eric Pologruto said that while he doesn’t recall responding to any fires in Murray specifically attributable to Thanksgiving cooking, he is confident it has happened, adding that any holiday that includes a family gathering with a big meal comes with increased risk. Regardless of the day, he said one should always be prepared for the worst, especially in the kitchen, the most fire-prone room in anyone’s home.
“Whether it’s Easter, Christmas or Thanksgiving, generally speaking, any time you have that much cooking going on, it increases the likelihood of a fire,” he said. “And sometimes the holiday comes with a little bit of craziness, with a bunch of distractions and all the people in the house, and that sets the stage for bad things that could potentially happen. This goes along with general cooking safety, but it’s always wise to have a fire extinguisher that’s been checked to make sure that they gauge is still in the green.”
Another very important step toward keeping your kitchen safe while cooking multiple dishes is to make sure any handle on top of your stove is turned inward, Pologruto said.
“Especially in households with children, one of the biggest things is to make sure the handles on your pots and pans are not hanging over the edge of the stove,” he said. “Little hands can grab those, and then the next thing you know, whatever was being cooked is now being poured down on the child, obviously causing injury.”
Of course, depending on the method you choose to cook your main dish, the kitchen’s interior might not necessarily be the most dangerous location on your property on Thanksgiving Day.
“Frying turkeys has the potential to cause a big problem,” Pologruto said. “Generally speaking, if you are going to fry the turkey, what I suggest is to make sure you are at least 10 feet away from structures. Another important thing is to know there’s a potential for oil to overflow, and if it does, you want to make sure that oil does not run toward the house. So if there is any sort of hill, make sure the oil would run away from the house if it does overflow.
“Also, to help reduce the chances of the oil overflowing, make sure you add the right amount of oil to begin with. You should also make sure that your turkey is wiped down and doesn’t have any water on it.”
The NFPA news release said the organization strongly discourages the use of any turkey fryers that use cooking oil because of their potential for causing “devastating” burns. Instead, NFPA recommends purchasing a fried turkey from a grocery store or restaurant or buying a fryer that does not use oil.
The NFPA said that on annual average between 2019 and 2023, cooking accounted for 80% of U.S. home fires on Thanksgiving Day, as well as 40% of civilian injuries on that day. Thankfully, no civilian deaths were reported, but overall, cooking is the leading cause of U.S. home fires and injuries and the second-leading cause of home fire deaths, the NFPA release said. Unattended cooking is the leading contributing factor in home cooking fires and fire deaths, it said.
“Thanksgiving is a hectic holiday with multiple dishes cooking and baking at the same time, and along with guests, entertaining, and other distractions, it can be easy to lose sight of what’s on the stove or in the oven,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA. “With all these factors at play, it’s no surprise that we consistently see a dramatic spike in home cooking fires on Thanksgiving.”
The NFPA provided the following tips and recommendations to ensure cooking safety on Thanksgiving:
• Never leave the kitchen while cooking on the stovetop. Some types of cooking, especially those that involve frying or sautéing with oil, need continuous attention.
• When cooking a turkey, remain at home and check it regularly.
• Make use of timers to keep track of cooking times, particularly for foods that require longer cook times.
• Keep things that can catch fire like oven mitts, wooden utensils, food wrappers and towels at least three feet away from the cooking area.
• Avoid long sleeves and hanging fabrics that can come in contact with a heat source.
• Always cook with a lid beside your pan. If a small grease fire starts, smother the flames by sliding the lid over the pan, then turn off the burner. Do not remove the cover because the fire could start again.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. Only open the door once you’re confident the fire is completely out, standing to the side as you do. If you have any doubts or concerns, contact the fire department for assistance.
• Keep children and pets 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 table and counter edges.
Dining and Cooking