Clean Grill, Keep Lid Up: Fire Expert Offers Tips for a Safe Fourth of July

Thousands of people are seriously injured each year while handling the explosives.

Original Airdate 7/1/2016

As July 4 approaches, a fire expert has offered some tips on how to keep you and your family safe.

Read: Experts Warn Against the Choking Hazards of Hot Dogs This July 4

Vincent McManus, a fire marshal in Nassau County, N.Y., told Inside Edition that the biggest safety hazards he sees are with people operating grills. “You have to keep the lid up,” he said. “If you don't keep it up, the gas will build up and then when you light it, boom.”

He added, “Also make sure the grill is clean because old grease can catch fire.” McManus said it’s also important “to have a three-foot ring of safety.”

People have been severely burned using gas grills.

Watch: Just Add Watermelon: Check Out the Latest Craze Sweeping Social Media

Fireworks can also be dangerous. Thousands of people are seriously injured each year while handling the explosives.

In 2016, four people in the U.S. were killed by fireworks and 11,000 were injured, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission.

Watch: Firefighters Present Cookbook to Chef, Who Serves Fire Houses to Honor Friend Who Died in 9/11