Remember fire safety at Thanksgiving

State Fire Marshal Tim Bean is reminding Missourians that Thanksgiving not only kicks off the holiday season, it raises the potential for dangerous residential fires – caused by everything from increased indoor cooking and turkey fryers to Christmas trees, decorations and festive candles.
“The holidays and winter season are peak fire times and as we gather with loved ones it’s essential that we think about preventing fires, review safety plans and plan two ways out of every room in the home,” State Fire Marshal Tim Bean said. “Cooking equipment and heating equipment are the leading causes of these fires, but candles, decorations and Christmas trees are other areas where safety must come first.”
Fire Marshal Bean shared these holiday fire facts from the National Fire Protection Association:
•Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
•The peak days for candle fires are Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Christmas Eve.
•From 2009 to 2014, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 860 home fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees and an average of 210 fires started by Christmas trees.
•About 20 percent of decoration fires start in the kitchen, about 17 percent in the living room, family room or den.