How To Grill Safely

NEWTOWN SQUARE–Outdoor cooking has become a favorite American pastime.  While the focus of recreational cooking has moved to gas-fired activities, charcoal cooking still is popular. The reminds these traditional amateur chefs of some of the precautions when cooking with charcoal.

Outdoor cooks who continue to use natural charcoal for the cooking have been known to forget these precautions. In his cooking safety reminders, Chief Doug Simpson stressed, “Unless special steps are taken, starting a charcoal fire has  many dangers.”

According to Simpson, the greatest danger occurs when a charcoal cooks becomes impatient when his or her bed of charcoal appears not be burning.  In an attempt to accelerate the establishing of a proper cooking fire, the second application of starter fluid can become an explosive event.

The hidden heat in one or more briquettes is proven to become the source of a flash-back of fire that travels up the stream of lighting fluid to the container.  This results in either an explosion or a flash of uncontrolled fire. “Begin by initially applying the proper amount of fluid before attempting to initially start the fire,” said Simpson.

Equally dangerous cooking problems occur during the cooking as well as after the meal are prepared. Never cook inside a garage as well as avoid cooking under overhead porches. The carbon monoxide from cooking can enter the home and become a potent killer. Additionally, the heat from cooking inside a garage can ignite fumes from stored items,

An additional danger exists after the meal preparation. Each year, firefighters are called to fires starting from the unsuspected heat left in what were thought to be “dead briquettes.”  Following the rules of outdoor cooking place the used charcoal in a metal, not a plastic container, and leave it alone. Water in the container is an added safety step. 

Burying spent charcoal that has been started with a petroleum fluid is very environmentally dangerous act.

A good meal must include in its ingredients, a healthy dose of safety.  “Enjoy your outdoor charcoal cooking, but please do it safely,” said Simpson.

This press release was provided by the Newtown Square Fire Co.