The Consumer Product Safety Commission wants to make sure the only thing fried on Thanksgiving is the food.
In a Twitter thread shared on Nov. 23, the CPSC urged people to "cook the turkey and not your home" on a holiday it says has the most home fires by far of any day of the year.
The CPSC offers tips on how to properly deep-fry a turkey and the simple mistakes while cooking to avoid starting a fire.
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A video compilation set to dance music shows a series of turkeys being lowered into pots filled with hot cooking oil and then exploding into flames.
The video, which has been viewed more than 2.8 million times, shows the exploding turkeys happening everywhere from the basement to outdoor decks and engulfing the area in flames.
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"If you’re frying your turkey this year, make sure it is thawed," the CPSC wrote. "Follow the manufacturer instructions for using your fryer. Only fry a turkey outside and away from your home. Never use turkey fryers in the garage or on the porch, Turkey America!"
The commission then noted that Thanksgiving is the most dangerous day of the year when it comes to fires in homes, and it's not solely because of mishaps from attempting to deep-fry turkeys.
"Tomorrow there will be 3x more home fires in the United States than any other day of the year," the CPSC wrote. "Turkey fryers will not be the primary cause. No. Unattended cooking is the #1 cause of home fires. What causes unattended cooking? Dozens of normal things...
"A relative breaks something in the other room and now you need to see what happened," the CPSC continued. "Your young child shouts that they need help. A neighbor shows up to drop off a gift and you talk for longer than you expected."
Indeed, the commission says "your home is much more likely to catch fire tomorrow because you left something cooking on top of the stove and walked away."
The CPSC then shared simple tips for how to avoid fires and enjoy the holiday.
"We ask that tomorrow, while you’re entertaining friends and family and juggling what’s likely dozens of responsibilities, you choose to have someone in the kitchen at all times," the CPSC wrote. "They don’t need to be a good cook, just someone who can make sure there isn’t a fire.
"If you don’t have someone available (and even if you do) make sure your smoke alarms are all working. Make sure there’s a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. These things can save your life if the unthinkable happens."
While deep-frying a turkey can yield a succulent bird with golden-brown skin in about an hour, compared to cooking a turkey in an oven for several hours, there are a series of crucial steps to safely cook it that way.
Here are 10 tips for deep-frying a turkey that will help you avoid fires or any damage to your home and enjoy a delicious meal.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
