SC fire marshal: Watch for holiday kitchen fires
Posted: 11.25.2009 at 9:23 AM
 IRMO, S.C. -- Thanksgiving isn't just the biggest day of the year for turkey and stuffing. It's also the busiest day of the year for firefighters battling kitchen blazes.
(AP) --
Irmo Fire Marshal Jeff Allen says firefighters across the country respond to three times as many cooking fires on Thanksgiving than they do on an average day.

Allen says some simple tips can keep families safe. Someone should always be in the kitchen when frying, grilling, or broiling food, and cooks should check frequently on dishes that are boiling, roasting or baking.

Allen says people should also be ready to fight a small fire by having pot lids nearby to smother a grease fire. But officials say if the fire begins to spread, everyone should leave the home and call 911.

(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)