Wilmington, DE – Fire departments across Delaware are issuing a Thanksgiving safety alert for residents planning to deep-fry their turkeys this year. While the cooking trend is known for crisp skin and juicy meat, it’s also a leading cause of holiday home fires across the country.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, more than 2,300 home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving Day annually — the highest of any day in the year. Newsweek data shows that deep-fryer incidents cause about five deaths, 60 injuries, and $15 million in property damage nationwide each year.
Experts say the hazard occurs when home cooks lower frozen or damp turkeys into oil heated to 350 degrees. The ice turns to steam and expands roughly 1,700 times its volume, forcing boiling oil to spill and ignite on open flames or nearby materials.
The National Fire Protection Association continues to discourage using oil fryers and recommends air fryers, infrared models, or store-bought fried turkeys instead. For those who choose to deep-fry, safety officials urge setting up outside on level concrete, keeping children and pets away, and never leaving the fryer unattended.
