The first responders who would rather not show up at your door for an emergency this holiday season are warning about the dangers of deep-frying a frozen turkey.
Firefighters across South Florida have echoed the call for caution when it comes to dropping a frozen turkey into a fryer, warning that this could be a recipe for disaster.
“The days leading up to and including Thanksgiving are some of the busiest days for fires here in the United States," Battalion Chief Michael Kane of Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue told NBC 6.
When you're frying a turkey, Kane said, "You're using hot oil at temperatures 350 degrees or greater, splattering could cause a fire, splattering could certainly cause significant injuries."
Tips for safety include ensuring that the turkey has been completely defrosted, and keeping the fryer far from your house or garage. Kane also suggested having a fire extinguisher close by when operating a deep fryer, since oil fires cannot and should not be extinguished with water.
"Never, never fry a turkey underneath your tiki or your wooden deck," Ft. Lauderdale Assistant Fire Marshall Stephen Gollan said. "You're bound to have something bad happen."
