Why Does My Outdoor Grill Keep Setting My Living Room on Fire?

Want to know how to stop setting your living room on fire with your outdoor grill?

That's easy. Take the grill outside and place it well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.

Trenton Fire Marshal Jeff Evans offered several grilling saferty tips provided by the National Fire Protection Association. Here's some safety tips to keep you safe all summer.
General Safety

• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill area.
• Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.
• Never leave grill unattended.
• Always make sure your gas grill lid is open before lighting it.

• There are several ways to get the charcoal ready to use. Charcoal chimney starters allow you to start the charcoal using newspaper as fuel.
• If you use a starter fluid, use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to the fire.
• Keep charcoal fluid out of the reach of children and away from heat sources.
• There are also electric charcoal starters, which do not use fire. Be sure to use an extension cord for outdoor use.
• When you are finished grilling, let the coals completely cool before disposing in a metal container.

• Check the gas tank hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year.
• If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department.

• July is the peak month for grill fires.
• More than half of home grill structure fires begin on either a courtyard terrace or patio, or an exterior balcony or open porch.
• Roughly half of the injuries involving grills are thermal burns.