'Burning Down the House' is just a song. Be extra careful.
Take extra precautions because Thanksgiving is, by far, the number one day for home fires. In fact, according to the National Fire Protection Association, on average, there are 3 times as many house fires on Thanksgiving as any other day of the year.
“For those who are hosting Thanksgiving, there will likely be a lot of activity in the kitchen and a lot of distractions. Unfortunately, this is a recipe for disaster,” said Greg Lauria, Regional AAA Insurance spokesperson. “AAA is raising awareness around Thanksgiving house fires because prevention is key.”
Tips:Don’t leave stove unattended while you are cooking
Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, paper recipes, dishtowels, dangling electrical cords – away from the stovetop
Don’t use the oven/stovetop if you are tired or have consumed alcohol
Don’t wear loose clothing when using the oven or cooking on the stovetop
Limit distractions – fires can ignite quickly. Pay attention and check on food regularly
Limit activity in the kitchen – while it’s not unusual for guests to gather in the kitchen, encourage children to keep a distance from the oven/stovetop and to play in other rooms
Make sure there are WORKING smoke detectors on every floor of the house
If you do have a fire:Get out! - Unless it is a small, stovetop fire that can be easily extinguished, get everyone out of the house as quickly as possible and dial 911. If it is a small fire on the stovetop, turn off the heat and smother the fire with a lid if you are able to do so without risk.
According to the NFPA 2019 report on home cooking fires:US fire departments responded to an average of almost 175,000 home structure fires per year started by cooking in 2013-2017, resulting in more than a billion dollars in damages per year.
Households that use electric ranges have a higher risk of cooking fires and associated losses than those using gas ranges.
Unattended cooking was the leading cause of reported cooking fires and casualties.
More than half (53%) of non-fatal injuries occur when people try to control the fire themselves.