Kitchen Duct Fire at Luxury London Hotel

February 14, 2025

Over 100 people were evacuated as flames ripped through duct-work at a popular luxury hotel and restaurant in central London today.

The blaze started in the duct then spread from the ground floor and to the roof of the four-story hotel called the Chiltern Firehouse, which is known to be frequented by celebrities.

“Twenty fire engines and around 125 firefighters tackled a fire at a hotel on Chiltern Street in Marylebone,” the London Fire Brigade said in a statement to CNN news.

An unnamed firefighter told the UK’s PA Media news agency that the hotel is probably going to need a large refurbishment.

Many people were reportedly eating at the restaurant on the ground floor celebrating Valentine’s Day.

The roof and third floor of the building were completely destroyed and around half of the second floor and a small part of the ground floor were damaged by the fire, according to the London Fire Brigade.

Grease hood duct cleaning tips that help minimise risk

Tip One – Due Your Homework

Engaging a reputable kitchen exhaust duct cleaning contractor is key to getting what you need and what you are ultimately paying for. It also ensures that you comply in terms of insurance and reduces your risk of fire. We have put together a handy checklist to make things a little easier.

Tip Two – Minimise Risk

Grease and oil build-up starts at the metal kitchen grease filters before being extracted into the hood, ducting, fan and eventually, the roof.

At best, these metal kitchen grease filters only capture between 20-40% of airborne grease, leading to a hazardous build-up that needs to be cleaned off on a regular basis in order to stay compliant and covered by insurance. It’s an ongoing problem that needed an easy and cost-effective solution.

Shepherd Filters capture up to an impressive 98% of grease before it even has the chance to penetrate the rest of the kitchen exhaust system.

Made from 100% bio-degradable and fire-retardant wool, you can rely on Shepherd Filters to ensure your system stays cleaner for longer:

The fire at the London luxury hotel is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by ineffective grease management. Investing in high-quality filtration solutions like Shepherd Filters can protect your business, staff, and customers from the devastating effects of kitchen grease duct fires.

Don’t wait for a disaster to strike—take proactive steps to safeguard your commercial kitchen today. Visit Shepherd Filters to learn more about how our solutions can help keep your kitchen stay safe and compliant.

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