Deep Fried Fiascos

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Smoke billows from Jollibee in Vaughan Thursday, Aug. 4. (@theonlyrouben/Twitter)

Smoke billows from Promenade Mall on Thursday, Aug. 4. (@theonlyrouben/Twitter)

Several news agencies reported the August 4th 2022 rooftop fire at Promenade Mall located at Bathurst and Centre Streets in Vaughan Ontario.  The 2-alarm fire was reported around 10:30 am and shoppers were evacuated by police as the fire crews bravely fought the flames.  The mall was reopened a few hours later.  Vaughan Fire Platoon Chief, Brian Culp, told CityNews that the fire started in the kitchen of Jollibee Restaurant. Jollibee is a Filipino chain restaurant best known for its fried chicken.

The Saskatoon Fire Department temporarily closed a Red Lobster restaurant after a deep fryer fire.  On Wednesday July 21, 2022 just after 6 p.m., the department received a report of a deep fryer on fire. The restaurant was evacuated.  Crews used a class K fire extinguisher designed for grease fires to extinguish the deep fryer flames. The department says it was brought under control at 6:17 p.m. and a fire investigator was dispatched to the scene shortly after. Damage is estimated at $20,000. None of the employees, occupants or firefighters were injured.  An investigation into the fire determined it started in a deep fryer vent due to a lack of cleaning the commercial cooking equipment. A fire suppression system for the equipment also did not activate to extinguish the fire.

Fire crews cut down fire at Rudy restaurant (Courtesy: Ken Enlow)

Toronto Fire crews investigated after a blaze broke out at a downtown restaurant on the morning of September 24, 2021.  Shortly before the lunch rush Toronto Fire was alerted about a fire at Rudy, a burger restaurant at Queen and Duncan streets. Heavy smoke could be seen billowing from the restaurant. Shortly after arriving on scene, fire crews said the main body of the blaze was knocked down. No injuries have been reported. Toronto Fire said the blaze started from the restaurant’s deep fryer. “There were employees in the restaurant and they were doing some cooking [at the time of the fire],” District Chief Brian Kelly told CP24 at the scene.

Lives and livelihoods can be changed in an instant when grease/cooking oil combusts into fire.  Be sure your deep fryer and other cooking equipment are inspected and cleaned along with your kitchen exhaust systems in accordance with NFPA 96.  Call us for more information on the inspection frequency and cleaning requirements for your method and frequency of cooking.  Keep your staff and customers safe with regular maintenance by our professionally certified kitchen exhaust cleaning technicians.

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