How to grill safely this Labor Day

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) -According to the National Fire Protection Association, charcoal grills account for 1,300 residential fires a year.

To minimize accidental fires, the Baton Rouge Fire Department recommends that you place the grill at least 10 feet away from your home.

When using a charcoal grill, never add lighter fluid while the grill is hot. BRFD says flames could potentially travel back to the fuel and possibly catch fire.

If using a gas or propane grill, check the hoses for leaks.

“Gas grills were involved in an average of 8,900 home fires per year. Leaks or breaks were primarily a problem with gas grills,” an NFPA spokesperson says.

Children should also not be left unattended near a grill. An average of 39% of contact burns a year involve children under the age of five, according to the NFPA.

For more fire protection tips from the NFPA, click here.

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