How Can Poor Ventilation Lead To Fires?

One of the most important parts of a commercial kitchen is its ventilation system, and properly cleaning it, maintaining it and ensuring it is not blocked is critical to ensure that lives are not put at risk.

According to statistics published by the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, 70 per cent of fires in hospitality venues such as takeaways, restaurants, and public houses are the result of a blockage caused by accumulated grease in a kitchen’s extractor fan.

A grease blockage can cause and exacerbate the spread of a fire in two major ways.

The first is blocking the fan, which reduces the airflow around the kitchen, which can affect the risk of a fire and its behaviour once it starts.

A fire needs heat, oxygen and a source of fuel, but an effective ventilation system reduces the former, reducing the risk of a fire starting in the first place and ensuring it can be adequately controlled once it does start.

Ventilation filters away heat, reducing the ability of the fire to spread quickly, whilst also channeling smoke away from the room, which in a fire is one of the leading causes of death.

A blockage allows smoke and heat to build up, causing a fire to spread quickly and become far more difficult to control.

As well as this, grease is highly flammable, and a blockage primarily made from grease would not only increase the danger of a fire but could cause it to spread rapidly through a building once the grease ignites.

Because of this, kitchens should take extra care when managing their extractor fan system, ensure they are serviced regularly, are clean and free of greasy deposits, and all accompanying safety features, such as smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, should be regularly checked for compliance.

The best way to have peace of mind is to book a professional to deep-clean the ventilation system.