By Jim Shay and Leslie Lake
The Hour
NORWALK, Conn. — As we head toward Thanksgiving Day, Norwalk fire officials are putting our a warning: The holiday has more home cooking fires than any other day of the year.
“Thanksgiving is the leading day for home cooking fires, with three times as many fires occurring on this holiday, according to fire safety statistics,” said Michelle DeLuca, deputy director of Norwalk Fire Department, Office of Emergency Management.
It’s not a surprise, since more people are in the kitchen, and some of them are inexperienced cooks making their first Thanksgiving Day dinner. Then there’s the guests that provide another distraction away from the stove.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving Day cooking fires rank No. 1, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
The most recent data from the U.S. Fire Administration, from 2011 to 2013, shows an estimated 2,100 residential building fires were reported to fire departments in the U.S. on Thanksgiving Day. Out of that total, 1,550 were cooking fires.
Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings occurred most frequently from noon to 3 p.m., when many people most likely were preparing Thanksgiving dinner. Fires then declined throughout the evening.
Unattended equipment was a factor in 33 percent of reported home cooking fires, and 49 percent of the associated deaths.
Frying dominates the cooking fire problem. Cooking equipment is the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries, causing 46 percent of home fires that resulted in 19 percent of the home fire deaths and 44 percent of the injuries.
Two-thirds (66 percent) of home cooking fires started with the ignition of food or other cooking materials. Clothing ignitions led to 18 percent of the home cooking equipment fire deaths.
Ranges or cooktops accounted for 62 percent of home cooking fire incidents.
Connecticut data shows that fires originating in the kitchen has the highest number of incidents. In 2012, out of all residential Connecticut, more than 20 percent happened in the kitchen.
While the number of cooking fires spikes on holidays, it’s also one of the leading causes of home fire, year-round.
Between 2009 and 2013, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 162,400 home cooking fires per year. These fires resulted in an annual average of 430 civilian fire deaths, 5,400 reported injuries and $1.1 billion in direct property damage.
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