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Town Of Brookhaven Officials Demonstrate Dangers Of Deep Frying Turkey Ahead Of Holiday Season

FARMINGVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, fire and town officials on Long Island are warning residents about the dangers of deep frying a turkey.

According to the National Fire Prevention Association, deep fryer fires cause more than $15 million in property damage, the destruction of 900 homes, 60 injuries and five deaths every year.

And with the growing trend of deep frying turkeys on Thanksgiving, officials and firefighters in the Town of Brookhaven held a demonstration Friday to show just how real the risks are.

"Really it's a dangerous thing to do," Town of Brookhaven Fire Marshal Chris Mehrman told 1010 WINS' Mona Rivera.

Mehrman said the town sees three to four fires per year that are caused by deep fryers.

"We're not only talking about large, large fires that possibly take a house down. We're also talking about the burns," Mehrman said.

The National Fire Prevention Association also warned that cooking oil is combustible and its vapors can ignite if heated above 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mehrman and Town Supervisor Ed Romaine are urging residents to use an oven to cook their Thanksgiving turkeys instead.

"I hope that people who use deep fryers follow all the manufacturer's safety instructions and keep a fire extinguisher handy. We want to make sure that everyone has a safe and happy holiday season," Romaine added.

Deep Frying Turkey Dangers
Town of Brookhaven officials show the dangers of deep frying turkey (Credit: Jack Krieger)

The Town of Brookhaven will also accept used oil from frying turkeys during the holiday season. The oil will be recycled and used to produce eco-friendly biodiesel fuel.

Residents can drop off their fully cooled, used oil at the Brookhaven Town Landfill. Town officials said last Thanksgiving, they accepted over 350 gallons of used oil.

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