That’s One Smokin’ Turkey
Goleta Home Fire Blamed on Torched Thanksgiving Bird
A Thanksgiving turkey being smoked overnight at a home in Goleta was the cause of a fire Thursday morning. Santa Barbara County Fire responded at 4:44 a.m. with three engine companies and one ladder truck to contain the fire at 6580 Camino Venturoso. It took 13 firefighters about 10 minutes to contain the fire and another 30 minutes to extinguish and mop-up after the fire was contained.
The residents do have plenty to be thankful for, as their residence was spared in the fire and no one – residents or firefighters – were hurt in the fire. All of the residents were out of the house when firefighters arrived.
Investigators determined the fire was caused when drippings and ash from a home smoker which was cooking a turkey fell through and ignited cardboard underneath it. The fire then spread to the home’s wooden deck. The occupants of the home woke because of the fire and called 911.
Iskow said the damage to the residence is estimated to be $15,000. Needless to say, the turkey was a little too burnt to eat.
According to Iskow, cooking fires – the number one cause of home fires and home fire injuries – are more likely to happen on Thanksgiving than any other day. In 2005, he noted, cooking fires started about 1,300 home structure fires in the U.S., more than three times the day average.
