The fire service has told restaurant owners they need to make sure their extractors are cleaned on a regular basis to prevent the risk of fire.
After having to put out three fires in two days, London’s Fire Brigade has warned that extractors that haven’t been recently cleaned can start fires, itv.com reports.
Restaurant owners don’t just risk losing their business to a fire, they can also endanger the lives of the surrounding residents.
On Monday, a huge fire began in a restaurant in Lisle Street, near Leicester Square, sending plumes of smoke across Central London. It took 21 fire-fighters and four fire engines to tackle the blaze, according to telegraph.co.uk. No one was harmed, but the flats above the restaurants had to be evacuated for the residents safety and the flats have been left slightly damaged.
A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said: “Businesses should make sure their extraction system is kept clean as a build-up of fat and grease within the filters can lead to a fire.”
Two more fires took place in London restaurants this week, one in St Johns Wood and another in Palmers Green. All three of the fires involved ducting, a ventilation system which carries fumes away from where food is being cooked.