As Ohioans prepare for one last summer cookout this Labor Day weekend, the Division of State Fire Marshal is encouraging citizens to take added safety precautions when using their grills.

“We want people to have fun, yet be safe when grilling outside this Labor Day weekend,” says Interim State Fire Marshal Donald C. Cooper. “It is important to remember that grilling can be dangerous if proper safety precautions are not taken.”

Most gas barbecue grills are fueled by Liquefied Petroleum (LP) gas or propane. Unburned LP gas accidentally released or leaking from a gas grill can cause a dangerous fire or explosion. Problems that lead to fires or explosions commonly occur at two times: during the first use of a grill after a long period of storage and when a new cylinder of propane gas is attached to the grill.

Since 2000, more than 1,200 grill fires have been reported in Ohio. Those fires caused more than $4.2 million in damage and injured 53 people, including 12 firefighters.

During that same time, fireworks have been responsible for more 1,300 fires causing $5.9 million in damage.

The Division of State Fire Marshal reminds grill users to exercise the following precautionary measures when using grills:

• Inspect grills closely prior to each use.
• Keep your grill on a flat level surface 10 feet from any building. A grill should not be
used inside or under a carport or breezeway. Never use a grill indoors.
• Do not move a grill that is in use.
• Keep children and pets away from the grill area: declare a three-foot “kid-free zone”
around the grill.
• Periodically remove grease and fat buildup in trays below the grill so it cannot be ignited by a hot grill.
• Never use a grill on the balcony of a multi-unit residence without the prior approval of
the local fire code official.
• Never add starter fluid when coals or kindling have already been ignited, and never use gasoline or other combustible or flammable liquids in place of starter fluid.