The Cost of Not Checking Exhaust Ducts

Source: Boston Globe

On August 29, 2007, a fire broke out at the Tai Ho Mandarin and Chinese Restaurant in Boston. Tragically, 2 firemen were killed. The fire was fueled by grease buildup in the exhaust duct. The families of the firemen killed settled in 2009 for $2.2 million from lawsuits brought "against the restaurant, its landlord, and a grease-cleaning company, according to a source involved in the agreement," according to an article in the Boston Globe. The paper goes on to say,

According to court documents, Gibson and the families of Cahill and Payne filed wrongful death suits beginning last year against Continental Realty, the Tai Ho Corp., and J & B Cleaning, saying that all of them "knew or should have known that dangerous and defective conditions existed at 1727 Centre Street created by the carelessness, negligence, and/or gross negligence of the defendants."

A Fire Department investigation found explosive conditions in the restaurant's kitchen, with grease built up to dangerous levels. Restaurant employees had placed a container on the stove to catch drippings from the exhaust hood overhead.

State fire codes mandate that restaurants have their exhaust ducts cleaned quarterly and cleared of grease buildup. Tai Ho had hired J & B Cleaning just months before the fire, but a cleaning receipt indicated the company cleaned the stove and the hood, but did not clean the duct.

I can't emphasize enough, the importance of a properly cleaned exhaust system that includes the duct and fan!