The Town of Brookhaven and fire officials on Thursday underscored the dangers of deep-frying a turkey as the Thanksgiving holiday draws near.

What should have been a delicious deep-fried turkey became a fiery disaster one Thanksgiving for Farmingville's Melora Loffreto and her family.

Chief Fire Marshal Chris Mehrman says the flames that shot from one fry vat were over 1,000 degrees. He recommends cooking turkeys the old-fashioned way.

"It's just as tasty," Mehrman says.

Some factors that can contribute to a deep-fryer fire include overflowering oil, too much heat and using a turkey that's still frozen or wet.

In case of a fire, officials say a fire extinguisher should be at the ready and that someone should know how to use it.

Town officials say deep-fryer fires cause five deaths, 60 injuries and the destruction of 900 homes annually across the nation.

For anyone who does plan on deep-frying a turkey this year, officials say to do it in the backyard, at least 20 feet from your home or anything else that could burn.