Turkey fryer explodes in NC home, blows out windows
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct a misattribution.
BURLINGTON, N.C. (WAVY) — A family is lucky to be alive after their turkey fryer exploded in their home.
Early Wednesday, on Thanksgiving eve in Burlington, North Carolina, a propane tank fueling a turkey fryer exploded. The explosion was so strong, it blew out the windows in the back of the house on N. Sellers Mills Road. Investigators said the person cooking the turkey fell asleep and left the boiling oil unattended.
“And that is dangerous,” Burlington Battalion Chief Daniel Shoffner said. “And that can happen if it gets heated to — if that much fire heats it up to that degree.”
Shoffner said it can happen anywhere, and unattended cooking is one of the leading causes for home fires, especially during the holiday season.
“There’s more house fires due to unattended cooking, or cooking incidents, on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year,” Shoffner said. “We want people to be safe, stay safe this holiday season. You know, be cautious when you’re cooking. If you are using a turkey fryer with oil or anything else.”
The fire reportedly caused around $150,000 in damage to the structure. No one was seriously hurt. Investigators said to never fry a turkey inside, and stay at least 10 feet away from anything that can catch fire.
The National Fire Protection Association and CPSC posted this YouTube video showing the fire hazard turkey fryers can present.
The U.S. Fire Administration lists these five dangers of deep-frying a turkey:
Turkey fryers can easily tip over, spilling hot cooking oil over a large area.
An overfilled cooking pot will cause cooking oil to spill when the turkey is put in, and a partially frozen turkey will cause cooking oil to splatter when put in the pot.
Even a small amount of cooking oil spilling on a hot burner can cause a large fire.
Without thermostat controls, deep fryers can overheat oil to the point of starting a fire.
The sides of the cooking pot, lid and pot handles can get dangerously hot.
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