Yesterday evening, ten fire engines and over 70 firefigters battled a fire at a takeaway restaurant with flats above on London Road in Norbury.
The fire damaged part of the ground floor takeout, and the ducting (extraction system) from the ground floor to the property’s roof was destroyed. Around 26 persons were evacuated by firefighters. There were no reported injuries.
The fire is thought to have been sparked by grease igniting within the extraction mechanism.
On arrival, crews saw smoke coming from the roof of a single-storey extension to the rear of the restaurant,” a London Fire Brigade spokesperson said. They then discovered a fire that had formed within the ducting system and had spread to the roof space.
“We’d like to remind restaurant and takeaway owners to check for dirty ducting.” Ducting fires are more likely if you don’t clean the ducting in your extraction system on a regular basis.
This is also a timely reminder of how critical it is to have working smoke alarms in your home and to test them on a regular basis.
The Fire service was summoned at 5.28 p.m., and the fire was out by 7 p.m. Firefighters from Norbury, West Norwood, Croydon, and other nearby stations responded.
Top restaurant and takeaway recommendations from firefighters:
Ensure that the ducting in your extraction system (extraction system) is cleaned on a regular basis.
Cooking with hot oil requires particular caution because it can easily overheat and catch fire.
Never put more than one-third of the fat or oil in the pan.
Before placing food in heated oil, make sure it is completely dry – oil and water are a dangerous combination.
If feasible, use an electronic deep fat fryer; they have automatic temperature settings and are considerably safer.
Make sure your electrical system is tested on a regular basis.
Finish your fire risk assessment and develop an emergency plan.
