AMHERST — Already twice this month, Amherst firefighters have responded to homes where siding caught on fire as residents were cooking outside using propane grills.
On the evening of May 15 at a Harkness Road home, and then again on the night of May 21 on Amity Street, firefighters brought the fires under control before they caused significant damage and possibly displaced the residents.
For Fire Chief Tim Nelson, the recent incidents are an opportunity to issue an advisory reminding the public of safe grilling practices as people resume hosting gatherings.
“We’ve had two in two weeks,” Nelson said. “It’s kind of odd, but maybe not a coincidence as restrictions for COVID have relaxed a bit.”
The safety tips include positioning a grill as far from the home as possible, generally at least 10 feet away from the side, and doing all grilling outdoors and not in spaces with roofs or branches above.
Nelson said his gut feeling is that some people are breaking out their grills for social occasions for the first time since 2019.
“People are forgetting safety protocols for using a grill,” Nelson said. “Grilling is really a social activity and we haven’t had social activities in about a year and a half.”
Other reminders featuring in the advisory are about turning off the grill if you smell gas, storing propane cylinders in cool and shaded areas, making sure to clean grease traps after every grill and, if using charcoal briquettes instead of propane, having well-ventilated areas.
With grills that leave ash, people should allow the coals to burn out completely and then cool for 48 hours before disposal, and possibly soak the coals in water before putting them in a metal container.
