State fire officials urge grill safety ahead of peak fire season

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Office of the State Fire Marshal is urging Illinoisans to practice grill safety as the calendar turns to peak grill fire season.

Officials said that on average, over 10,000 home fires across the U.S. are caused by a grill, and most of them happen in July. Between 2017 and 2021, more than 25% of reported grill fires started on an exterior balcony or open porch; roughly 20% were blamed on a grill that wasn’t clean.

During the same period of time, over 22,000 people went to the emergency room because of an injury involving a grill. Nearly half of those injuries were thermal burns, caused by both contact with flames and contact with hot objects.

“Grilling hot dogs and hamburgers, or smoking your favorite meat is a popular way many celebrate the summer and the 4 ^th of July. There are a lot of distractions when you have guests over making it even more important to ensure you are following safe grilling habits,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera. “Injuries such as burns can not only ruin your weekend, but they can also leave physical and mental scares that can last a lifetime.”

The Office of the State Fire Marshal provided the following tips to ensure people remain safe and to prevent a grill fire from happening:

• Never use propane or charcoal grills inside
• Place the grill away from the home or deck railing and with open sky above
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grilling area
• Keep the grill clean by removing grease and fat buildup
• Never leave a grill unattended
• Always make sure gas grill lids are open before lighting the grill
• Check gas tank and hoses for leaks each time before using
• Make sure charcoal coals are cool before disposing of them in a metal container
• If you smell gas while grilling, get away from the grill immediately and call the fire department
• Always have a fire extinguisher, bucket of water or garden hose nearby

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