NLIS 1 December 23, 2003 (Municipal and Provincial Affairs) The following is being distributed at the request of the Office of the Fire Commissioner: Safety advisory on deep-fat frying turkeys The Office of the Fire Commissioner would like to remind residents that the practice of deep-fat frying turkeys is hazardous and should never be done inside a house or on a patio deck. Deep-fat frying turkeys is extremely dangerous and poses similar risks as deep-fat frying on the stove-top. "The risks associated with deep-fat frying turkeys are numerous and should be taken into consideration when determining whether to cook the turkey in this manner," said the Fire Commissioner, Fred Hollett. "Fryers can easily tip over resulting in hot oil spilling. Also, if the cooking pot is overfilled with oil, the oil may spill out of the unit when the turkey is placed into the cooking pot. Oil may hit the burner/flames causing a fire to engulf the entire unit. Partially frozen turkeys placed into the fryer can cause a spillover effect, too, which may result in an extensive fire. Because there are no thermostat controls, the fryers have the potential to overheat the oil to the point of combustion. The sides of the cooking pot, lid and pot handles get dangerously hot, posing severe burn hazards." The Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an independent not-for-profit product-safety testing and certification organization based in the United States, suggests these tips if deep-fat frying turkeys:
"Deep-fat frying on the stove-top causes many fires every year in homes across Newfoundland and Labrador," said Mr. Hollett. "With many of the same risks, I would encourage residents who are thinking about deep-fat frying their turkeys this holiday season to strongly reconsider this decision." Media contact: Vanessa Colman-Sadd, Communications, (709) 729-1983 2003 12 23 11:50 a.m. |
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