Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters attended a fire at a takeaway restaurant on Sterling Way in Edmonton.
The fire occurred at a takeaway restaurant, with a single-storey rear extension and ducting affected. One woman was treated at the scene by London Ambulance Service for smoke inhalation. Several people were evacuated from surrounding buildings as a precaution.
Sterling Way was closed near the junction of Fore Street during the incident.
The Brigade received the first of around 10 calls at 1051 and Control Officers mobilised crews from Edmonton, Enfield, Southgate, Holloway and Finchley fire stations to the scene. The fire was brought under control by 1256.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by the ignition of grease in the ducting.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "We'd like to remind restaurant and takeaway owners to ensure they don't have dirty ducting. If you don't clean your extraction system regularly, you're at a greater risk of ducting fires.
"You should also make sure you keep the hob, cooker hood and extractor fan clean too – built up fat and grease can ignite and cause a fire."
Firefighters' top tips for restaurants and takeaways
- Have ducting in your extraction system (ventilation) cleaned regularly
- Ensure ducting is installed correctly
- Take extra care when cooking with hot oil as it can easily overheat and catch fire
- Never fill the pan more than one third full of fat or oil
- Make sure food is dry before putting it in hot oil - oil and water are a dangerous mix
- Use an electronic deep fat fryer if possible - they have automatic temperature controls and are much safer
- Ensure your electrical system is regularly tested
- Complete your Fire Risk Assessment and make an emergency plan.