CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Fourth of July holiday is right around the corner. One of the staples of the holiday is grilling up burgers and hot dogs. 

  • Three people have died following cooking-related fires
  • Cooking is the number one cause of house fires
  • Always keep an eye on your grill

Charlotte fire officials are urging people to use safe grilling practices this summer to keep the flames on the grill. 

Officials say cooking is the number one cause of house fires. So far in 2018, three people in Charlotte lost their lives in cooking-related fires. 

The easiest way to stay safe while grilling is to set up away from anything flammable. 

"You're supposed to have your grills 10 to 15 feet away from your structure, especially a shared building like an apartment building," says Walter Broadhurst with Pineville Fire Department. 

People should also check the lines on a propane grill to make sure they're secure and don't have any leaks. 

"I've personally been to fires where the tank was improperly installed or had a leak, and now you've got a fire coming out of the bottom of your grill," says Battalion Chief Rob Cannon with Charlotte Fire Department. 

The easiest thing to do is always keep an eye on your grill. 

"Never leave a hot grill unattended. It's just like a campfire, things will happen when you're not watching it," says Broadhurst.

You should also keep kids and pets away from a grill so they don't get hurt or knock the grill over. 

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