When you think of the most delicious food and the best restaurants, for many people, New York City comes to mind. Both residents and tourists feel the magnetic pull of the restaurants served on our city streets - food from around the world, right at our doorstep. Establishments that serve food and drink not only provide a day or night out, but they also contribute in a major way to our local economy. It takes a lot of planning and maintenance to run a restaurant, which also includes providing for the safety of guests and employees. Throughout the course of a year, many fires occur at restaurants. Some data surrounding these circumstances can help both guests and workers in the food industry stay safe from fire.
The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) are leaders when it comes to providing information and resources regarding fire prevention. Not long ago, they put out a report that addressed restaurant fires that were reported to local fire departments and occurred from 2010-2014
During the time frame of the study (2010 - 2014), approximately fire departments were notified of 7410 fires annually. During this time period, the loss in property damage was $165 million. There were 110 civilian injuries and 3 civilian casualties.
When we look at the causes of the fires and resulting damage, the data is as follows:
Cooking Equipment: Responsible for 61% of fires, 38% of property damage
Electrical Distribution and Lighting: Responsible for 9% of fires, 21% of property damage
Heating Equipment: Responsible for 9% of fires, 9% of property damage
Smoking Materials: Responsible for 7% of fires, 7% of property damage
So what conclusions can we make from this data? First, we see that cooking equipment and electric issue were the primary causes of fires in restaurants. The report also indicates that deep fryers were a factor in 21% of fires from cooking equipment, and stovetops were factors in 14% of these fires as well. Forty-three percent (43%) of the time, cooking materials caught on fire first.
The NFPA also tells us that improper cleaning played a role in fires 22% of the time.
So what do we learn? First, property loss in these fires was significant - millions of dollars - even though the occurrence of death and injury was low. While most fires started around the cooking equipment, they were able to spread and cause major damage and property loss.
One way the impact of fires can be reduced is through flameproofing. When flammable materials are soaked and coated with flame repellents, the spread and severity of a fire is minimized. These objects are no longer combustible and will not be a contributing factor to the spread of a fire. Flameproofing also buys time for people present to evacuate safely.
If you own a restaurant in Brooklyn or any part of the Greater Metro NY area, Brooklyn Flameproofing would be happy to protect your business from fires through our flameproofing treatments. We have been serving all 5 boroughs and the Greater NYC area for over 50 years. If you have questions or need a free, no-obligation quote, please call us today! 800-401-5415