Restaurant fire - Hayes

Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters tackled a fire on Uxbridge Road in Hayes.

The fire occurred at a restaurant, with flats above. Half of the roof of a single-storey extension, was alight and mostly damaged by fire. The ducting in the kitchen also caught fire. 

Around 70 people left the building before firefighters arrived. There are no reports of any injuries at this time.

The Brigade was called at 2141 and the fire was brought under control by 0024. Crews from Hayes, Southall, Northolt, Ealing, Heathrow and surrounding fire stations have been at the scene.

The cause of the fire is believed to have been accidental, started by a deep fat fryer in the kitchen. 

It's possible reduce the fire risks of deep fat frying: 

• Take extra care when cooking with hot oil as it can easily overheat and catch fire.
• Never fill a 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.
• If the oil starts to smoke, it’s too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool.
• Use an electronic deep fat fryer if possible – they have automatic temperature controls, and are much safer.

It's also really important to keep the hob, cooker hood and extractor fan clean too – built up fat and grease can ignite and cause a fire.