The Town of North Haven has seen an increase in the number of commercial kitchen fires. A number of factors may be involved in a commercial kitchen fire, however, the recent fires in our
community have been the result of cooking appliances located outside the exhaust hood. Exhaust hoods, along with fire protection systems and building construction, play a critical role in the prevention of fires in restaurant kitchens.
The Connecticut Fire Safety Code (CFSC), Connecticut Fire Prevention Code (CFPC) and applicable standards require 6 inches of clearance from the edge of the exhaust hood to the nearest cooking appliance and 18 inches from combustible materials.
In other words, the cook line must be completely under the hood.
This ensures that: 1) Flammable, grease laden vapors, are completely removed from the kitchen area. 2) The fire suppression system, which is located under the hood, will function properly in
the event of a fire. 3) The proper clearances are maintained between cooking appliances and adjacent walls, which may be combustible.
It is not uncommon for appliances to be moved from their original positions due to routine cleaning, maintenance or the addition of a new appliance. Please be sure to return the appliances
to their original positions. The addition of a new cooking appliance may require a redesign of the hood system in order to comply with code-required clearances.
The North Haven Fire Marshal’s Office is ready to work with the restaurants in our community to ensure the safety of employees and customers. Thank you for your attention to this important
fire and life safety issue.
If you have any questions, please contact Fire Inspector James Eatherton at 203-239-5321 ext.114.
Sincerely,
James Eatherton
Fire Inspector