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Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg at:
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Just want to remind ALL BGE folks to be careful when cooking on their Big Green Egg
Bte
Posts: 3
Not sure if this is the right place for this discussion but here goes. I bought my older model large Big Green Egg 3 years ago from an individual who rarely used it. I loved this monster. I was like a proud mama. I take full responsibility for what happened and I know I have no right to any warranties. The only purpose of this message on this Forum is to warn others not to get too complacent when using your Egg, like I did this past Sunday night. After finishing grilling steaks, around 8pm, I failed to shut down the bottom vent of my Egg. Around midnight, we were awakened by the police banging on our door telling us our house was on fire and to get out immediately. We grabbed the dog and once outside, watched as the side of our home, fence and deck, was engulfed in flames. Our amazing fire department put out the flames quickly, nobody was hurt and the damage we sustained was exterior only. Thank goodness we have an insomniac in our neighborhood who looked out at just the right minute and saw the flames. On Monday, my husband and I were cleaning up the debris from our neighbors yards and I collected approximately 20-30 shards and pieces of what once had been my pride and joy. We will never know for sure exactly what happened, but it appears to have exploded due to the heat buildup. The Fire Marshall reminded me of things that I knew but had pushed aside in the back of my mind: be vigilant about shutting down the vents properly, place your Egg on a fire resistant surface, not directly on a deck with no protection underneath. Be sure that your Egg placement is not under soffits, overhangs or near gutters or downspouts, and be cognizant of your shrubs and low hanging tree limbs. We were very lucky, we know this, but I still feel like I have lost a very dear friend. I am mourning the loss of my Big Green Egg, but happy to be here writing on this Forum. Stay safe, folks.
Comments
XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio
Thanks for the reminder and glad everything is going to end up being OK.
Plate Setter, FlameBoss 200, Spider, PSWOO-CI, Additional Rig Shelf for dome cooking, Thermapen, iGrill2, Cast Iron, Blackstone, Cooking Accessories for the Blackstone, Cover for the Egg and the Blackstone, shopping for Rub like a fine wine or IPA, and a new fascination with lump and what brand is the best-all to be debated every Friday Night. Next desires-Joetisceriie, Adjustable Rig, Grillmates, table and more eggs
Livermore, California
Still a huge BGE fan. Just a fan with a renewed respect for its power.
Edit: That's the right approach-back on the horse. BTW-your dome cap must have been extremely effective in sealing the BGE.
Glad everyone is okay!! We got ours used too (came with the house) and the stand almost caught on fire one night because there was nothing beneath the egg, it was sitting on the ceramic feet on top of a wooden box. Thankfully it was a fast cook and I was keeping an eye on it and caught it before there was actual fire. I went out to check on the food and noticed smoke coming from *under* the egg and realized what was happening. We'll be rebuilding the deck this winter along with the BGE stand, and the new stand will have no wood near the BGE to avoid any potential for fire.
Southern Wheelworks
Camped out in the (757/948/804)
Washington, DC Metro Area
We see pic after pic on here of eggs (and gassers) sitting on attached wooden decks, under roofs, too close to windows or doors (carbon monoxide). My own egg is too close to the house, too close to a window and, while not ON a wooden deck, is right next to one.
I think it's time to make a few changes. Not sure what I'll do, but I need to do something! As do many others on here.
Thanks for posting.
I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!
MichaelAs long as we have a safety thread, I'll just add one small note. If you light your lump with a propane torch like I do, please take the extra five seconds to put on a pair of safety glasses first. A stray spark hitting your eyeball can put you in a world of hurt (ask me how I know).
I'm glad everyone was safe!
I actually verbalize my shutdown (it's the pilot in me
Bottom vent - closed
Daisy wheel - stowed
Top vent cap - installed
Plate Setter, FlameBoss 200, Spider, PSWOO-CI, Additional Rig Shelf for dome cooking, Thermapen, iGrill2, Cast Iron, Blackstone, Cooking Accessories for the Blackstone, Cover for the Egg and the Blackstone, shopping for Rub like a fine wine or IPA, and a new fascination with lump and what brand is the best-all to be debated every Friday Night. Next desires-Joetisceriie, Adjustable Rig, Grillmates, table and more eggs
Livermore, California
I've certainly done the same as @tikigriller with my gasser
Once you get the new Egg up and running, I suggest you have your vigilant neighbour over to thank them for their part in reducing the tragedy. On second thought, any good Chinese takeout in your neighbourhood?
"I don't even know where to begin. Wednesday night I was grilling for the family and had an accident with the propane tank and it set fire and engulfed me in it's flames."
Still going through Burn Treatments on her legs- never did see how it happened.
Not quite in Austin, TX City Limits
Just Vote- What if you could choose "none of the above" on an election ballot? Millions of Americans do just that, in effect, by not voting. The result in 2016: "Nobody" won more counties, more states, and more electoral votes than either candidate for president.
When I had mine on a deck (and my son does now), we use 3x5 piece of hardibacker board (used as underlayment for tile (walls or floor)) it is concrete-esk and fire retardant.
I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!
MichaelDidn't explode from heat buildup. Don't think that is a possibility. I use a big shop vac with the hose in the exhaust to get mine hot and have never had anything but a cracked base. I did have an egg "related" fire as well and extend you all best wishes.
Steve
Caledon, ON
1 large egg
28" Blackstone
Akorn Jr.
Good for protecting your house and loved ones (or in @Mickey's case, putting out smouldering wings).
I used to have my BGEs in wooden tables, but after a few stories like this one, and many pictures of wooden tables that were charred or simply burned down, I now have my Eggs in a cinderblock table sitting on firebricks, all with a stone surround, and before I go to bed I go out with a flashlight and make sure that no kidding, the Eggs are cool and everything looks fine. I feel silly about it, sometimes, because they're always fine, and it's just hard for me to picture how a fire could start given where they are, but this story just made me feel a lot less silly. Thanks for the reminder to us all!