Practice Safety While Grilling

5/3/2019 (Permalink)

Don't let this happen to your house this grilling season

Three out of five households own a gas grill, which translates to a lot of tasty meals. But it also means there’s an increased risk of home fires.

Each year an average of 8,800 home fires are caused by grilling, and close to half of all injuries involving grills are due to thermal burns. While nearly half of the people who grill do it year-round, July is the peak month for grill fires followed by May, June and August.

• Grill fires on residential properties result in an estimated 10 deaths, 100 injuries, and $37 million in property loss each year
• Almost half (49%) of grill fires on residential properties occur from 5:00 to 8:00 PM
• Over half (47%) of grill fires on residential properties occur in the four moths of May, June, July, and August.
• Heat from powered equipment is the leading heat source category for grill fires on residential properties (47%). Spark, ember, or flame from operating equipment accounts for 28% of all grill fires on residential properties.
• Leaks or breaks were the factor in 11% of grill structure fires and 23% of outside and unclassified grill fires
• Gas grills contribute to a higher number of home fires overall than their charcoal counterparts