Firefighters Fight Blaze at Norbury Takeaway
Last night, ten fire engines and over 70 firefighters rushed to tackle a fierce fire at a takeaway with flats above on London Road, Norbury.
Fire Rips Through Takeaway Ducting
The flames badly damaged part of the ground-floor takeaway. The extraction ducting, running from the kitchen to the roof, was completely destroyed. Around 26 people were evacuated safely. Thankfully, no one was injured.
The blaze is believed to have started when grease inside the ducting caught fire.
London Fire Brigade Warns: Clean Your Ducts!
On arrival, crews saw smoke pouring from the roof of a single-storey extension at the back,” said a London Fire Brigade spokesperson. “We found the fire had started inside the ducting system and spread up into the roof space.”
The Brigade urged all restaurant and takeaway owners to regularly clean their extraction ducting to avoid dangerous grease fires.
It’s also a stark reminder to keep smoke alarms in working order and test them regularly at home.
Fire Safety Tips From the Pros
- Clean your extraction ducting regularly to prevent grease build-up.
- Exercise caution when cooking with hot oil—it can overheat and ignite fast.
- Never fill a pan with more than one-third oil or fat.
- Dry food thoroughly before frying; water and oil don’t mix.
- Use electronic deep fat fryers with automatic temperature controls if possible.
- Have your electrical systems inspected regularly.
- Complete a fire risk assessment and prepare an emergency plan.
Fire crews from Norbury, West Norwood, Croydon, and nearby stations tackled the blaze from 5.28pm until it was fully under control by 7pm.
