FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – National safety agencies including the National Fire Protection Association and Underwriters Laboratories do not recommend deep frying the turkey.
Tens of thousands of how-to’s on Youtube, combined with geography, cost and speed, means people are ignoring warnings as deep frying a turkey on Thanksgiving grows in popularity.
Broward Sherriff’s Office Fire Rescue provided a live demonstration Friday to remind people that the method is not without its danger.
Using full protective gear, firefighters illustrated the consequences of improper preparation and use of equipment, including dropping an under-thawed turkey into bubbling oil or the result of an overflow of oil on to a burner’s open flame.
While the NFPA encourages people to purchase a fried turkey from a local grocery store, BSO recommends that for those who ignore instructions to have a fire extinguisher.
