NORTH BAY - Much of a North Bay home along Widdifield Station Road was engulfed by flames on Wednesday evening (Oct. 16).
According to Fire Chief Greg Saunders, crews were dispatched to the area around 5:04 p.m. with the first crews arriving around 5:21 p.m.
By the time they arrived much of the house had already been engulfed in flames and the residents, a father and his 18 month old daughter, were able to safely evacuate the home.
The homeowner did suffer some smoke inhalation and was treated by paramedics on scene.
Since there are no hydrants in this particular area of the city, crews had to shuttle water to the scene and were able to completely extinguish the fire by about 10:30 p.m.
The cause of the fire, Saunders said, was the homeowner using unsafe cooking practices involving cooking with oil.
The incident is not an isolated one either.
North Bay Fire says they have seen an uptick in fires in 2019 involving unsafe cooking practices, almost all of which have involved cooking with oil.
"Cooking using oil is incredibly dangerous," Saunders concludes. "We would prefer that the residents of North Bay choose safer cooking options other than cooking with oil."
If you are going make the choice to cook a turkey in oil make certain to follow these safe cooking practices:
- Never use a deep fryer inside. Always cook outside, at least ten feet from any houses or other structures. The frying mechanism should be placed on a level surface in an open area away from any water sources.
- The size of the fry-pot and the amount of the oil used should be determined prior to cooking. These will depend on the size of the bird being fried.
- The fryer should be off and completely dry when the oil is poured inside.
- The turkey needs to be completely thawed before submersion. Oil and water do not mix, and any leftover ice or slush can result in a dangerous explosion of hot oil. If the oil spills over onto the burner, the entire mixture can ignite.
- Once the oil is heated, the turkey should be slowly lowered into the pot. Dropping it or inserting it too quickly can result in spillage and ignition of the oil.
- It is a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher handy. Water should never be used in the event of a fire due to the adverse reaction it will have with the oil.
- Once the cooking is complete, the fryer should be given enough time to cool completely before being emptied or cleaned. This takes approximately two hours.[3]
Link to original article on NorthBayNippising.com: Unsafe cooking with oil cause of North Bay house fire, chief says