Deep-frying turkey: Not all fun and games

Cooking is the leading cause of fires and injuries in the home in the U.S. Combine that with Thanksgiving and the popular craze of deep-frying turkey and you have all the ingredients needed for a visit by local firefighters and paramedics.

"Boiling a turkey is popular, but we have a lot of people who are doing it for the first time or without experience (and that can be a problem)," said Phoenix Fire Division Chief Mark Faulkner.

Deep-frying a whole turkey in boiling oil can quickly produce a moist, succulent turkey, but it has some inherent dangers, including boiling oil near an open flame and the lack of stability in most set-ups where the pot of oil sits on top of a tripod over an open flame.

Faulkner said there are several points for cooks to remember:

- Don't fill the cooking pot to the brim with oil. When the turkey is submerged oil will be displaced and can catch fire or injure watchers.

- Make sure the turkey is dry before immersing it in hot oil. If there is water or ice it will vaporize and expand, which can also cause oil to splash and injure people or catch fire.

- Do the cooking outdoors and watch for overhanging objects, like patio roofs or tree branches, that could catch fire if something does go wrong.

"A lot of it is just common sense," like turning the burner off when working with the turkey so that any oil that drips out won't catch fire, Faulkner said.

Flaming turkeys in the backyard isn't the only problem firefighters notice this time of year.

"We see a lot of fires this time of year from candles," Faulkner said, adding that they are sometimes placed too close to decorations or where a draft can blow flames into decorations, resulting in fires.

Another problem is holiday decorations that can result in injuries due to tripping.

"Do what you're going to do, but be safe," Faulkner said.