Officials offer safety tips about grilling
Corning, N.Y. — Before you fire up the grill, fire officials want to remind you it’s all fun and games until someone burns down the house.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, from 2005-2009, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 8,200 fires annually that involved grills, hibachis or barbecues. Approximately 3,400 grill fires ignited a structure, and 85 percent of grill fires involve gas grills.
The fires caused an annual average of 15 deaths, 120 injuries and $75 million in property damage. Approximately 30 percent of the home structure fires involving grills started on a courtyard, terrace or patio.
“People need to keep the grill away from combustibles, and don’t grill right next to the house,” Corning Fire Chief John Tighe said. “The most important thing is to check the grill occasionally, especially the hose that goes from the tank to the burners.”
Also, it’s important to be wary of children. Children account for nearly 25 percent of grill burns, according to
officials.
“When gatherings involve children, it’s critical that a child-free zone of at least three feet is established around the grill,” Firemen’s Association of the State of New York President David Jacobowitz said.
Fire officials offered numerous tips to ensure a safe grilling experience.
Before barbecuing:
• Check your grill thoroughly for leaks, cracking or brittleness.
• Check the tubes leading to the burner regularly for blockages. Check your specific grill manufacturer’s instructions.
• Make sure the grill is at least 10 feet away from the house, garage or trees.
• Store and use your grill on a large flat surface that cannot burn.
• Don’t use grills in a garage, on a porch, deck or on top of anything that can catch on fire. Never use a propane barbecue grill netting on a balcony, terrace or roof.
• Before getting a propane cylinder filled, check it for damage.
• Never transport or store propane cylinders in the trunk of a car.
• When lighting your propane barbecue, make sure all the connections are secure, open the lid and strike the match or lighter before turning on the gas.
During barbecuing:
• Keep children away from the grill.
• Don’t wear loose clothing that might catch fire.
• Use long-handled barbecue tools and/or flame-resistant mitts.
• Never use any flammable liquid other than a barbecue starter fluid to start or freshen a fire.
• Never pour or squirt starter fluid onto an open flame. The flame can easily flash back along the fluid’s path to the container in your hands.
• Keep alcoholic beverages away from the grill; they are flammable.
• Never leave the grill unattended.
