Minneapolis issues Thanksgiving cooking safety tips
The Minneapolis Fire Department, with the Minnesota State Fire Marshal, released holiday cooking safety guidance ahead of Thanksgiving, citing NFPA data that cooking is the leading cause of house fires and that 1,446 home cooking fires occurred nationwide on Thanksgiving Day 2023. Officials urge residents not to leave stovetop cooking unattended, keep combustibles away, verify smoke detectors, and, for turkey frying, never fry a frozen turkey and do it outdoors away from structures; they also outlined steps to handle small grease and oven fires.
📌 Key Facts
- Source: City of Minneapolis press release; agencies: Minneapolis Fire Department and Minnesota State Fire Marshal
- NFPA data: 1,446 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day 2023; cooking is the leading cause of house fires and second‑leading cause of home fire deaths
- Key tips: don’t leave stovetop cooking unattended; keep flammables and loose sleeves away; keep kids/pets back; ensure smoke detectors work; never fry a frozen turkey and only fry outdoors; for small grease fires, turn off heat and cover with a lid (no water); for oven fires, turn off heat and keep the door closed