CHICAGO — Using a pulley and standing a safe distance away, a Chicago firefighter dropped a frozen bird into a turkey fryer with too much hot oil, splashing the viscous liquid everywhere. The oil swiftly ignited, and despite a quick reaction from another firefighter wielding a hose, bright orange flames as tall and wide as a CTA bus engulfed the fryer.

“Thanksgiving is one of the year’s busiest days for fire departments, with cooking-related fires leading the charge,” said Fire Department Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt at the turkey-fry-gone-wrong demonstration Wednesday morning.

As families gear up for Thanksgiving gatherings stuffed with gratitude and bites of turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes and maybe green beans, officials at Quinn Fire Academy in the West Loop urged Chicagoans to remember one critical ingredient: safety. They demonstrated what not to do on Turkey Day.

Indeed, more home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than three times the average number of daily home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving in 2022, more than 1,600 home cooking fires were reported to U.S. fire departments.

Cooking causes over half of all reported home fires and nearly two-fifths of home fire injuries, according to the association. Cooking is also the leading cause of home fire deaths.

The focal point of Wednesday’s Thanksgiving fire safety event, which took place at 10 a.m. in the fire academy’s drill yard, was turkey fryers, since they pose a significant risk, officials said.

“While a fried turkey can be a mouthwatering centerpiece, turkey fryers, when used improperly, can lead to devastating fires, burns and injuries,” Nance-Holt said.

Nance-Holt said people should never fry a turkey indoors or on a wooden deck. Rather, turkey fryers should be placed on a flat and stable outdoor surface far from one’s home, garage and anything flammable. People should also make sure the area above their turkey fryers is clear.

Chicagoans should make sure their turkeys are completely thawed and dry before they fry them.

“It takes a while to thaw turkeys,” Nance-Holt said. “Ice or water can cause violent oil splatters, leading to burns or fires.”

Before turning on their fryers, cooks should make sure their pots aren’t filled with too much oil. If hot oil spills from a turkey fryer, it may catch fire. Also, when a fryer is on, cooks should make sure the temperature of the oil does not exceed 400 degrees.

When lowering a turkey into a fryer, a cook should be wearing protective gloves and long sleeves and should drop it in slowly and carefully to avoid spills.

During the event, JC Fultz, a public information officer with the Illinois state fire marshal’s office, said people should check all their cooking equipment and make sure it’s working before the holiday. Fultz said testing smoke alarms before Thanksgiving is also a good idea.

“Even with precautions, accidents can happen. We understand that,” Nance-Holt added. “But ensure your smoke alarms work and your family knows the escape plan in case something does happen. Our goal is to help you enjoy a safe and happy Thanksgiving with loved ones, not with first responders — unless they’re your family members.”

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