Firefighters Respond To As Many As 1,400 Cooking Fires On Thanksgiving
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Cooking safety should be front-and-center as families prepare their Thanksgiving meals across the area.
CBS 3's Jim Donovan reports that there are more cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year.
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Firefighters respond to as many as 1,400 cooking fires on Thanksgiving, which is more than three times the average of any other day during the year.
Evelin Fernandez left a combustible can between her stove burners while making dinner for her family.
"The PAM spray exploded, which caused the stove to explode. I felt the flames hit my face," Fernandez said.
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After multiple surgeries and a month in the hospital, Fernandez says she is still dealing with physical and emotional scars that will last a lifetime.
Experts say no matter how distracted people are this holiday, when in the kitchen, always pay attention as unattended cooking is the leading cause of house fires.
"If you have to leave the kitchen, call in reinforcements. Assign somebody to keep an eye on the cooking at all times," said Elliott Kaye.
Never douse a cooking fire with water or flour, instead, place another pan on top of the fire to extinguish the flames.
If you like to deep fry your turkey, make sure it is away from your house. Do not put it on a porch or in a garage.
The turkey should be defrosted and patted dry, do not overfill the oil and make sure to check the temperature frequently.
Fire officials also say you should keep surfaces free from grease buildup and keep flammable cans and items, like potholders and paper towels, away from stoves and ovens.
