Fire Facts

The Rooftop Blind Spot: Where Hood Cleaners Cut Corners

Tue Oct 21 2025

The rooftop fan is out of sight — and often out of mind. But when it’s neglected, grease buildup there can ignite the whole building.

Caught in the Middle: Hood Cleaners vs. Restaurant Owners

Tue Oct 14 2025

Who’s responsible when the hood cleaners cut corners? Spoiler: It’s not the cleaner that the fire marshal comes looking for.

The Paper Trail That Saves Kitchens: Why After-Service Reports Matter

Tue Oct 07 2025

If your hood cleaner isn’t leaving behind a detailed after-service report, you don’t just have a paperwork problem — you have a fire problem.

Who Cleans Your Hoods? The Accountability Gap in Restaurant Fire Safety

Wed Oct 01 2025

Fire Prevention Month spotlight: Too many restaurants trust hood cleaners without checking reports or compliance. Here’s why your signature on that after-service report matters more than you think.

Flames on the Roof: Statesboro's Chili's Warning Shot About Forgotten Maintenance

Tue Sep 30 2025

How a dramatic rooftop fire revealed the critical importance of exhaust fan cleaning and grease containment. The forgotten end of your fire safety system.

BBQ and Blazes: Fire Safety Lessons from Century-Old Fincher's Barbecue

Fri Sep 26 2025

How a family-owned Macon institution survived a grease fire with community support and the right response. Traditional cooking, modern safety.

Close Calls and Quick Saves: Columbia's California Dreaming Fire

Tue Sep 23 2025

How swift evacuation and fire department response turned a ductwork blaze into a reopening story. When preparation meets crisis management.

Fast Food, Slow Safety: The Checkers Drive-In $30K Disaster

Fri Sep 19 2025

How skipping hood cleaning to save money cost a Wilmington Checkers $30,000 and weeks of closure. The false economy of deferred maintenance.

Third Time's the Charm: Why 131 Main Never Reopened After Repeated Fires

Mon Sep 15 2025

Three fires in six years, all starting in kitchen vents. How wood-fired cooking and maintenance failures killed a Charlotte favorite permanently.

When Grease Becomes Fuel: The Hanes Mall Fire That Shut Down TGI Friday's

Mon Sep 08 2025

How accumulated grease in ductwork turned into 4-foot flames shooting from the roof. A two-alarm wake-up call about NFPA 96 cleaning schedules.

Fire Lessons from the Southeast: Introduction to Kitchen Disasters

Tue Sep 02 2025

Six real kitchen fires across NC, SC, and GA reveal how NFPA 96 violations turn routine cooking into devastating blazes. Learn from these cautionary tales.

Solid Fuel? Mind the Spark Arrestor

Tue Aug 26 2025

Wood and coal lines need dedicated arrestors and ash handling.

Inside the Plenum: What Good Looks Like

Sun Aug 24 2025

Smooth metal, no pooled grease, filters tight and upright.

Grease Containment on the Roof

Fri Aug 22 2025

Stop overflow before it stains membranes and causes slips.

Duct Access Panels: How Many Is Enough?

Tue Aug 19 2025

Enough access to actually clean — especially near turns, fans, and transitions.

Hinge Kits on Rooftop Fans

Sun Aug 17 2025

Safer service, less roof mess. Hinge kits prevent duct damage and protect wiring.

Baffle Filters vs Mesh: Why It Matters

Fri Aug 15 2025

Baffle filters slow flame spread and channel grease to the hood trough. Mesh loads too fast and drips.