Firefighters are reminding restaurant and takeaway owners to make sure their extraction systems are clean after a fire in Albert Road, North Woolwich.
Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters were called to a fire at a takeaway shop with flats above.
Part of the ground floor and half of the ducting (the restaurant’s ventilation system) was destroyed by fire.
A man and two children left their flat on the first floor, and a woman and two children left their flat on the second floor above the restaurant, before the Brigade arrived. There were no reports of any injuries.
The Brigade’s fire investigators believe the fire was accidental and due to the unsafe use of a deep fat fryer and a build up of fat and grease deposits within the ducting.
Watch Manager David Southall was at the scene, he said: “Crews worked hard to contain the fire to the restaurant and successfully prevented the blaze spreading to the homes above the shop.
“This is a ideal opportunity to remind restaurant and take-away owners to always make sure their extraction systems are kept clean as a build up of fat and grease within the filters can lead to a fire.”
The Brigade was called at 2259 and the incident was over by 0047. Fire crews from Plaistow, East Ham, Poplar, Barking, Stratford fire stations attended the incident.