Candles are the most likely cause of a holiday-related fire, according to Allstate Insurance Company, with the median cost for candle-related claims approaching $50,000; the median cost for turkey fryer-related claims is almost $29,000.
Deep-frying turkeys, candles, Christmas trees: All are signs of the season that can lead to devastation without proper care, fire and insurance experts say.
According to Allstate Insurance Co., Pennsylvania homeowners are most likely to experience a fire claim over the holiday season; they increase 22.6 percent compared to the rest of the year.
Candles are the most likely cause of a holiday-related fire, Allstate says, with the median cost for candle-related claims approaching $50,000. The median cost for turkey fryer-related claims is almost $29,000.
As can be expected, claims are three times more likely for turkey fryer incidents during the holidays, a time when Christmas trees also pose a potential danger: The median cost for tree-related claims tops $100,000, according to Allstate.
The Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner says that in a turkey fryer fire, homeowner policies will cover things such as the structure of a home, personal belongings and liability protection against bodily injury to guests. But to try and avoid these types of insurance claims in the first place, the office's safety tips when frying a turkey include:
- Read the owner’s manual for proper setup and safety tips.
- Completely thaw the bird before frying (hot oil and water do not mix).
- Use the correct amount of oil. If overfilled, the oil may spill out of the pot and hit the burner or flames and fire will engulf the entire unit.
- Never leave the fryer unattended. Many don’t have thermostat controls to prevent overheating of the oil to the point it ignites.
- Keep children and pets away from fryer.
- Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish an oil fire.
- Lid and handles of the cooking pot get dangerously hot, posing severe burn hazards.
- Do not deep fry your turkey inside your garage, on your porch or inside your home.
- Use your fryer outside, away from trees, walls, fences and other structures.
The company says kitchen safety also includes correctly disposing of cooking grease as overuse of garbage disposals and improper or excessive disposal of waste can result in clogged drains and can cause sewer problems during this time of year. During the holidays, sewer backup claims increase by 8.6 percent for Pennsylvania homeowners, a rate 27.2 percent more likely than the national average.
