Don't Let Your Fried Turkey (or House) Go Up in Flames

Tips on staying safe when frying or roasting your holiday bird

Sara Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com

November 20, 2010
Aficionados agree that deep frying a turkey is the best way to produce the most flavorful and moist version of the traditional centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal.

However, if you choose to go the deep-frying route, you have to be careful that the bird is the not the only thing that gets fried on Thanksgiving Day.

In the United States, more than 141 serious fires and hot-oil burns have been reported from the use of turkey fryers over the last decade, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

"If a turkey fryer is used the way it's supposed to be used by people who are not impaired by alcohol or drugs, I think they're fine," said Dr. Thomas Esposito, chief of the Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care and Burns in the Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine in Maywood, Ill.

"Injuries from turkey fryers are rare, but when they happen to you or a family member, that doesn't matter - they are very devastating."

If you're planning to use a turkey fryer, Esposito said safety tips to heed include:

Keep the fryer in full view while the burner is on.
Keep children and pets away from the cooking area.
Place the fryer in an open area away from all walls, fences or other structures.
Never use in, on, or under a garage, breezeway, carport, porch, deck or any other structure that can catch fire.
Slowly raise and lower the turkey to reduce splatter and avoid burns.
Never cook in short sleeves, shorts, or bare feet. Cover all bare skin when adding or removing bird.
Protect your eyes with goggles or glasses.
Immediately turn off fryer if the oil begins to smoke.
Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water don't mix and water can cause oil to spill over, creating a fire or even an explosion.
Don't overfill fryer with oil. Turkey fryers can ignite in seconds after oil hits the burner.
Keep a fire extinguisher appropriate for oil fires close at hand and be familiar with how to operate it.
Do not use a hose in attempts to douse a turkey fryer fire.
If you are burned, seek immediate medical attention.

Hope to avoid catastrophe by cooking your turkey in the oven, the old fashioned way? Experts say fires and serious burns can occur that way, too.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving Day is the leading day for cooking fires, with three times as many as an average day.

"It doesn't matter if it is a turkey fryer or a conventional oven, you should always take great care when using appliances, vehicles and any other device that has the potential to cause great harm to yourself and others if used in a careless, irresponsible manner," Esposito said.