An Unwatched Pot Causes Restaurant Fire

Loss Amount: $130,000

What Happened: A restaurant kitchen fire destroyed a restaurant and caused considerable damage throughout a large portion of the shopping center complex. An investigation revealed the cause of the fire to be a pot of soup that had been left unattended on the burner. The contents began to burn and flames eventually ignited a grease-laden hood above the stove.

The restaurant was equipped with an overhead fire sprinkler system, but it was not capable of handling the intensity of the flames. The fire spread into the attic and quickly moved to adjacent units of the complex.

Lessons Learned: A small fire can escalate and result in costly losses, which include construction costs as well as business interruption during the rebuilding process. Lease and risk transfer agreements (or lack thereof) can make this type of loss even more costly.

The following guidelines can help you develop a fire prevention program for your restaurant:

• Conduct routine facility inspections during business hours, and before leaving the premises at the end of the day, to confirm all fire hazards have been dealt with.
• Establish strict cleaning procedures that prevent grease buildup in the exhaust and ventilation systems (filters, hoods, and ducts).
• Insure all fire extinguishing equipment is serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, and that they function as intended. Train your staff on the use of all fire extinguishing equipment.
• Assure adequate clearance between cooking equipment to avoid heat buildup.
• Limit storage of combustible materials in and around cooking areas that could contribute to the spread of fire.
  
  Fire Protection for Restaurants
  
  Fire is a significant exposure in restaurants, making fire prevention a critical and necessary activity for management. A fire prevention plan should consider property protection, life safety from fire, and fire safety planning.
  
  A fire protection and prevention program should address the following factors:
• The contents of the building and its furnishings.
• The installed fire protection systems.
• The quality and frequency of maintenance of fire protection systems, cooking appliances, ventilation systems, refrigeration systems, and heating/air conditioning systems.
• Housekeeping and operating practices.
• Emergency preparedness.
  
  Fire Detection, Alarms, and Suppression
  
  Restaurants are susceptible to fires originating in kitchen areas involving cooking operations and associated equipment. Deep-fat fryers may use combustible cooking oil. Cooking operations may create grease buildup in hoods and ducts, which can ignite and cause a fire or contribute to the spread of fire. The importance of an automatic suppression system is evidenced from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) statistics - the average loss per fire is reduced by over 40 percent when a restaurant facility has a fire suppression system.
  
  The fire suppression and ventilation systems should be under a maintenance and service contract and inspected by qualified persons every six months. Fire alarm systems should be designed, installed, maintained, and monitored by a central station alarm company.
  
  While fire suppression and alarm systems generally are designed and arranged for automatic operation, employees should be familiar with the procedure for manually activating the systems. The device for manually activating the systems should be clearly marked and readily accessible.
  
  Open Flames
  
  Flambé cooking and the use of open flame devices at tableside can result in the ignition of tablecloths, napkins, and the clothing of servers and customers. The hazard is increased when alcohol or propane is used as a fuel source. Providing staff with properly designed equipment and training in safe cooking techniques will reduce the risk of fire and injuries.
  
  The use of candles and other open flame devices on tables to create lighting poses a fire hazard. The receptacles used should be intended for such purpose. Also, devices are available that will self extinguish when an open flame device is tipped over. Tables should be kept away from walls to prevent ignition of wall coverings and draperies.
  
  Housekeeping
  
  Cooking operations can cause grease buildup in ducts, hoods, and filters, and result in a fire hazard. NFPA 96 requires that exhaust systems be cleaned to bare metal at regular intervals to prevent an accumulation of grease and oily residues on surfaces.
  
  Restaurants typically have considerable amounts of combustible materials on site, such as cardboard boxes and wooden crates from deliveries, which can result in an accumulation of trash both inside the facility and outside. Garbage and trash should be packaged and removed frequently. Trash dumpsters should be located so that a fire in a dumpster will not spread to the restaurant building.
  
  Smoking Restrictions
  
  “No Smoking” signs should be posted in all areas of the facility where smoking is not permitted. If smoking is permitted in the restaurant, specific smoking areas should be designated and noncombustible ash trays or receptacles provided. Improperly discarded smoking materials, such as cigarettes, can ignite combustible waste. Ashtrays on tables should be regularly emptied by staff into self-closing, fire-resistant receptacles.
  
  Receptacles for smoking materials should also be placed outside the facility, especially if smoking is not permitted inside. Wood chips and mulch should be kept away from the building so that a discarded cigarette will not start an exterior fire.
  
  Fire Safety Planning
  
  The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers of more than ten (10) people to establish a written fire prevention plan as a complement to a fire evacuation plan. OSHA standards also require employers to provide proper exits, fire fighting equipment, and employee training to prevent fire deaths and injuries in the workplace.
  
  A fire prevention plan should include the following elements:
• A written plan that is available for employee review.
• Housekeeping procedures for the storage and cleanup of flammable materials and flammable waste. Recycling of flammable waste, such as paper, while encouraged, requires proper handling and packaging procedures.
• Procedures for controlling workplace ignition sources, such as smoking, welding and burning. This requires that heat producing equipment, such as burners, heat exchangers, boilers, ovens, stoves, fryers, etc., be properly maintained and kept clean of accumulations of flammable residues; flammables not stored close to these ignition sources.

Training all employees of the potential fire hazards of their job and the procedures called for in the employer's fire prevention plan, including new employees when they begin their job and all employees when the plan is changed.

A fire evacuation plan should reflect all the resources available to staff and identify the basic measures that will ensure an orderly and safe evacuation of customers and staff in an emergency. Effective fire evacuation in an emergency requires a plan that contains the following elements:

• Emergency procedures to be used in case of fire, including: sounding the alarm, notifying the fire department, provisions for access for fire fighting, evacuating customers, and confining, controlling and extinguishing the fire.
• The appointment and organization of designated supervisory staff by position (i.e., chef, head server, etc.), with related duties and responsibilities during an emergency.
• Instructions for staff on fire prevention methods and what to do in case of fire.
• The method of training supervisory staff for fire emergencies.
• The method and frequency of conducting fire drills.
• The control of fire hazards throughout the building.
• Detailed maintenance procedures for fire protection systems and building facilities.
• The identification of alternate fire safety measures in the event of a temporary shutdown of fire protection equipment or systems so that occupant safety can be assured.
• Floor plans that feature the type, location, and operation of fire protection systems, access for fire fighting, and all exit facilities.
• Detailed instructions for supervisory staff on the use of any emergency equipment, such as the voice communication system, the fire alarm system, smoke control system, or emergency power system.
• Procedures for the use of elevators.
• Established procedures for assisting the fire department in accessing the building and locating the fire. For large facilities it is recommended that floor plans showing exit locations be posted on each floor.
  
  For more information on fire safety, please contact the RCM&D Risk Control Department.
  
  “An Unwatched Pot Causes Restaurant Fire” was originally published by Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, as part of their “Lessons Learned” claims file. The rest of the article is a modified version of the full article that was originally published by Insurance Services Offices, Inc. (ISO), as an Engineering and Safety Technical Bulletin.