Ever since 1978 when CBS sitcom “WKRP In Cincinnati” first aired an episode depicting a radio station promotion involving live turkeys dropped from a helicopter, most radio stations have kept their holiday bird events on terra firma. Evidently Florida’s WFLZ-FM didn’t get the memo.

According to the St. Petersburg Times, the radio station’s “MJ Morning Show” was attempting to demonstrate how dangerous cooking a turkey in a backyard deep fryer can be.

So the morning show’s crew arranged for a turkey to be dropped from a crane through the open roof of a plumbing van and into a waiting vat of burning oil.

Everything was cool for the first few minutes as the silver pot within the van waited for its fowl payload.

But it was a different story when fowl and hot oil made contact. The van went up in flames. Although station personnel tried to douse the blaze, they ended up calling the fire department to come out and spray down the van.

The fire also resulted in one injury – Tampa fireman Capt. Ken Licata hurt his back while fighting the blaze and had to be hospitalized.

The radio station posted a statement on its Web site saying it was trying to show how dangerous cooking a turkey in a deep fryer can be.

“We were prepared to extinguish a modest fire,” the statement read. “Once the fire got out of control, we quickly called the fire department.”

According to Tampa fire spokesman Capt. Bill Wade, the State Fire Marshal’s Office is turning the investigation over to the State Attorney’s Office to determine if charges will be filed.

“Now, today we’re down here with a grease fire inside a van. This was not a public service. This was not an educational demonstration. This was a stunt.” Wade said, adding, “This was just dangerous all around.”

Click here to read the complete St. Petersburg Times report.

Click here for the WFLZ-FM 93.3 Web site.