Turkey Deep-Frying Hazardous: Allstate

Turkey Deep-Frying Hazardous: Allstate

NU Online News Service, Nov. 26, 12:50 p.m. EST?Deep-frying turkey has gained a wide following in the United States during the past few years, but it also poses a significant fire hazard to homeowners, insurance participants warn.[@@]

The Allstate Corporation, for example, has even started running a nationwide television and radio ad beginning last week that warns about the danger of deep-frying turkey.

"Last Thanksgiving, 2 million people tried to deep fry their turkeys, 15 succeeded in setting their houses on fire," according to the ad.

Allstate, based in Northbrook, Ill., is the second-largest personal-lines insurer in the country. In the third-quarter, the Allstate brand homeowners' line reported $1.47 billion in premiums written.

Emily Daly, a spokesperson at Allstate, told National Underwriter that frying turkey is "one of those things that you don't ordinarily think of as something that could cause damage to your home." But, she pointed out, "accidents never take holidays."

John Drengenberg, manager of consumer affairs at Underwriters Laboratories, a Northbrook, Ill.-based organization that tests the safety of household products, added that deep-frying turkey is "a definite fire hazard for several reasons."

Deep frying turkey first became popular in the southern part of the United States, he noted, and the popularity has spread to other parts of the country.

But the problem starts, Mr. Drengenberg said, with the stability of commercially sold turkey fryers.

"They all sit on tripods and can easily tip over," he warned. "And the turkey fryer involves heating three-to-five gallons of oil, so you have boiling oil."

A major concern is that turkey fryers can easily be overfilled, Mr. Drengenberg said. "When they are overfilled, and if you place a turkey inside them, the oil might run over the lip of the container and get into the propane flame. Then it would ignite the entire pot of oil. It could even burn down the house."

Another problem, he added, is that there is no thermostat in the fryers, which means there is no temperature control.

"Our message is, if you are thinking of buying a turkey fryer, think twice," he said. "But if you insist on buying deep-fat turkey fryer, you have to take several precautions."

Mr. Drengenberg recommended several precautions agents can recommend to homeowners to lower risks of using turkey fryers:

? Keep children and pets away from the fryer during and after use. Oil inside the pot remains dangerously hot even hours after use.

? Thaw the turkey completely. Water or marinade may cause the oil to boil over, causing a fire.

? Always use turkey fryers outdoors, well away from buildings, trees, garages, vehicles, and overhangs.

? Never use turkey fryers on wooden decks or other combustible surfaces.

? Place the turkey fryer on a flat, stable surface.

? Do not overfill the fryer. Use the manufacturer's instructions to determine the proper amount of cooking oil.

? Do not attempt to extinguish a turkey-fryer fire. Call 9-1-1 immediately.