State Fire Marshal’s Office: Good Food Can be Costly

Fires over the 2009 Thanksgiving weekend caused an estimated $1.3 million in property damage in Minnesota.

A press release issued by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s (SFM) Office on Monday reported that 82 fires occurred over last year’s four-day holiday weekend. Cooking related fires represent the leading cause of residential fires in Minnesota.

“I only left the room for a minute,” most occupants say, according to Deputy State Fire Marshal Becki White, who heads the public education section. “It’s hard to believe how quickly a frying pan can overheat, or how easily a carelessly placed towel can ignite.”

The SFM recommends that fire departments share the following tips with it’s residents:

• Never leave cooking unattended, even for a moment.
• Arrange for someone to be in the kitchen whenever food is cooking.
• Watch hot skillets; clean stove hoods and stovetops. Grease and oil catch fire easily.
• Keep towels, food packaging and clothing away from burners.
• Keep children at least three feet away from the stove.
• Smother stovetop fires with a pan lid. Contain oven fires by closing the door tightly.

“Holiday cooking is complicated by guests and lots of activity,” White says, “but following these rules is not difficult, and it can prevent destruction and injuries.”

Related Links:

• Thanksgiving Press Release
• Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office
• Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Facebook page