CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Frying your turkey is one way people like to prepare the Thanksgiving staple. However, first responders said it does come with a high risk.
Officials over at the Corpus Christi Fire Department said many people don't have the proper equipment for frying turkeys, which could potentially lead to house fires.
Deputy Fire Marshall Michael Tressider spoke with 3NEWS about the dangers and how to prevent them.
A video from the National Fire Protection Association demonstrated what happens when the oil used to fry a turkey overflows -- igniting the flames. Tressider said this is one of two ways frying a turkey causes major house fires. The other way is if it's wet or frozen, then submerged, causing a steam explosion and the same result.
"If you had a fire, our best recommendation would be let it burn itself out. Of course, that only works if it's far enough away from the house that it's not going to cause a major problem, or call the fire department," he said.
Tressider said he also recommends frying the turkey at least 10 feet away from the house. He adds that there hasn't been many calls to respond to fires from turkeys, and said that he wants residents to know if there is a fire to call the fire department.
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