In a number of recent restaurant fires the owners or operators claimed that they had
taken action and had in place a cleaning service to remove the flammable grease deposits in the extract system only to find - following the incident - that grease had not been removed from the internal surfaces of the ducting and consequently supported a fire arising from a spark or flame in the kitchen. Forensic evidence of fire debris showed clearly that the ducting was not being cleaned properly.
'I thought it was being cleaned' is no defence. Insurers are disputing claims where there is evidence of non-compliance with the law. Furthermore the country's leading property insurer is demanding in its policy warranties that grease extract are cleaned in their entirety, from the kitchen canopy to exhaust to atmosphere.
Perhaps only when owners or operators realies that not fully cleaningextract ducting can result in a ruined restaurant, loss of business, substantial repair costs, possible prosecution for non-compliance and refused insurance claims, will they call in a professional contractor to remove the grewase and make sure that people are not put at risk.
