Be Careful When Cooking This Thanksgiving, Say Officials

Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens is urging Georgians to use caution while cooking this holiday season.

Hudgens said the state has seen 11 fire deaths in Georgia this year in which the cause was cooking-related.

He added that over the years, his office has seen many fires caused by a range top that was left unattended.

The commissioner suggested a number of tips for cooking safely this holiday, such as always setting a timer when cooking so as not to forget to turn off the range top or oven; never using a cooking stove to heat a home, wearing tight-fitting sleeves when cooking because loose clothing can contact a burner and ignite, and installing an adequate number of smoke alarms.

Meanwhile, Hudgens said if a pan does catch fire, cover it with a lid immediately and turn off the burner.

Also, he cautioned that people should not fight a grease fire with water because it may make the fire worse, advising people to purchase a fire extinguisher for the kitchen instead.

Meanwhile, the National Fire Protection Association also has some advice for cooking safely.

Those tips include staying in the kitchen while cooking to keep a close eye on the food, staying alert and focused when cooking, and keeping things that can catch fire like oven mitts, wooden utensils, food wrappers, and towels away from the cooking area.

The National Fire Protection Association noted that nearly four times as many home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving as on a typical day.

According to the NFPA, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,730 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving in 2014.

In addition, the NFPA said cooking equipment was involved in almost half of reported home fires and home fire injuries and one in five home fire deaths between 2010 and 2014.