State Farm urges consumers to be cautious when frying a turkey
Bloomington, Ill. – Nov. 5, 2010 – More cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. According to State Farm claims data from 2005-2009, grease and cooking-related claims more than double on Thanksgiving Day compared to an average day in November.
With the popularity of turkey frying increasing, U.S. fire departments are responding to more than 1,000 fires each year in which a deep fryer is involved. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says deep fryer fires cause an average of 5 deaths, 60 injuries, and more than $15 million in property damage each year.
“One of the worst things that can happen with turkey frying is getting splattered with hot oil,” says Eddie Bain, Investigation and Prevention Program Director at the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI). “It will cause burns that are worse than fire because frying oil sticks to you. It can burn an adult very badly, but a child could easily be covered from head to foot in oil splatter, resulting in potentially fatal burns.”
Most turkey fryer fires are preventable. Recognizing common mistakes is a critical step in reducing your risk of a fire or potentially fatal burns.
State rankings for grease and cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day from 2005-2009:
| 1 | Texas | 33 |
| 2 | Illinois | 22 |
| 3 | Ohio | 18 |
| 4 | Michigan | 15 |
| 5 | New York | 15 |
| 6 | Florida | 14 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 12 |
| 8 | Indiana | 11 |
| 9 | Missouri | 10 |
| 10 | South Carolina | 10 |
Interview Options: Contact information for a family which experienced extensive damage to their home as the result of a turkey fryer fire is available, including photos of the damage to their home. Contact Heather Paul, State Farm at 309-766-0922 or heather.paul.jaw8@statefarm.com for their contact information. Contact information for Eddie Bain, Investigation and Prevention Program Director at the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) is 217-333-9014 or edbain@fsi.illinois.edu.
Turkey Fire Video: Photos and video illustrating the common mistakes made when using a turkey fryer are available. Two real-life scenarios that lead to disastrous results are included; one replicating a fryer set up on a wood deck, and another set up inside a garage. Both scenarios result in heavy fire and catastrophic damage to the surroundings. Sound bites are also included from Eddie Bain at IFSI explaining the most common mistakes that lead to fryer fires.
The video is available on the Pathfire Digital Media Service under the slug “Grease and Cooking Fires Double on Thanksgiving Day.” Media outlets without access to Pathfire should contact Heather Paul, State Farm at heather.paul.jaw8@statefarm.com.
About Illinois Fire Service Institute
The Illinois Fire Service Institute is the statutory fire academy for the state of Illinois.Ê In addition to training provided at the Champaign campus, the Institute offers DHS grant-approved technical rescue, HAZMAT and NIMS training, hands-on fire officer training, online classes and conducts training throughout the state at Regional Training Centers and local fire stations. The mission of the Illinois Fire Service Institute is to help firefighters do their work through training, education, information and research. For more information about the Institute, call 217-333-8921.
State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm’s 17,700 agents and 68,600 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts – more than 78.7 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and more than 1.9 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.
