MURFREESBORO, TN - As of Monday, December 1, most families have already gathered for their Thanksgiving meals. The good news is that most of the calls Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue responded to over the holiday were related to smoke alarms and minor smoke incidents — not deep fryer emergencies... That was Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue Chief Mark McClusky....

Nationwide, the most common fires involving the deep frying of a turkey usually occur when the bird is still partially frozen or wet, causing hot oil to violently splatter in the cooking area. Placing the fryer too close to a structure or setting it on an unstable surface can also quickly lead to dangerous situations.

One key safety reminder is to never use water to douse a fire caused by cooking oil, as this will only cause the flames to spread. Fire officials also stress the importance of keeping a properly working fire extinguisher nearby any time outdoor cooking equipment is in use.

Some of the calls that Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue did respond to over Thanksgiving included… 

According to national organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the number of home cooking fires reported on Thanksgiving Day increases by approximately 388 percent. Nearly two out of every five home fires nationwide result in fire-related injuries, and about 80 percent of all structure fires reported on Thanksgiving Day are caused by cooking.

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