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U.S. Fire Administration/National Fire Data Center

Restaurant Fires 

Topical Fire Research Series, Volume 4 – Issue 3


October 2004 
T O P I C A L F I R E R E S E A R C H S E R I E S


Restaurant Fires 

October 2004	 Volume 4, Issue 3 

Findings 

H In 2002, an estimated 7,100 restaurant structure fires were responsible for 108 

civilian fire injuries and $116 million in property loss. 

H Less than one−third of restaurant structure fires occurred in an area that was 

known to have a fire alarm, and less than half of fires occurred in an area with 

an automatic extinguishment system, such as automatic sprinklers. 

H Approximately 64% of restaurant structure fires were caused by cooking, followed by heating (10%) and incendiary or suspicious activities (5%). 

H Cooking materials (grease, oil) were the most frequent items first ignited.


H Restaurant fires were confined to the object first ignited in 70% of incidents.


Restaurants pose unique fire risks as they gather potentially large numbers of customers at one time, while 

engaging in cooking activities that inherently pose the risk of fire. This topical report examines the causes and 

characteristics of reported restaurant structure fires in 2002 and compares such characteristics with those of all 

non−residential structure fires.1 There were an estimated 7,100 fires in 2002,2 resulting in an estimated 108 injuries and $116 million in property loss.3 Although this report contains no estimates of deaths from restaurant fires 

for 2002, the potential for fire fatalities exists in any building or property where people congregate. 

Fires in restaurants caused more property damage per fire than the average structure fire (Figure 1), but less 

property damage than the average non−residential structure fire. This less−than−average property loss is due to the 

large number of cooking fires that were confined to the cooking vessel (41% of all restaurant fires) and resulted in 

small or no−loss fires. Also, restaurant kitchens are usually equipped with fire extinguishers so that fires are often 

extinguished before severe property damage is incurred. The average number of deaths and injuries per 1,000 fires 

was considerably less than the average structure fire, which includes residential homes, but similar to the casualty 

rates for non−residential structures. 

FIGURE 1. LOSS MEASURES IN RESTAURANT FIRES 

Loss Non−Residential Restaurant 

Measure Structure Fires Structure Fires Fires 

$ Loss/Fire $14,279 $21,857 $15,570 

Fatalities/1,000 Fires 5.2 1.1 – 

Injuries/1,000 Fires 30.8 14.8 17.0 

Source: NFIRS 5.0 only 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security S Federal Emergency Management Agency 

United States Fire Administration S National Fire Data Center 

Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727 

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/inside−usfa/nfdc/pubs/tfrs.shtm 

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CAUSES OF RESTAURANT FIRES 

Not surprisingly, cooking was the primary cause of restaurant fires in 2002, responsible for 64% of structure 

fires in restaurants. Of these fires, 89% were confined to the object of origin. As shown in Figure 2, heating was 

the second leading cause with 10%, followed by incendiary or suspicious, electrical distribution, appliance or air 

conditioning fires, and other heat, flame, or spark. This contrasts with the estimated causes for all non−residential 

structure fires, where cooking was the cause of 22% of fires, and incendiary or suspicious fires caused 19% of fires. 

FIGURE 2. LEADING CAUSES OF RESTAURANT FIRES 

(percent) 

Cause All Non−Residential Fires Restaurant Fires 

Cooking 21.6 64.2 

Heating 9.8 9.9 

Incendiary/Suspicious 18.7 5.2 

Electrical Distribution 3.9 4.2 

Appliances, A/C 3.5 4.2 

Other Heat, Flame, Spark 9.6 4.2 

Source: NFIRS 5.0 only 

RESTAURANT STRUCTURE FIRES BY TIME OF DAY 

Restaurant structure fires have a unique incidence pattern, coinciding with the daily cycles of the restaurant 

business. These fires are lowest between midnight and 4 a.m. when most restaurants are closed (Figure 3), 

although the peak period of incendiary or suspicious fires is between midnight and 2 a.m. The daily peak is 

between 9 and 10 a.m. as cooking fires ramp up along with smaller increases in heating and other fires. Cooking 

fires peak in the 10 a.m. hour, indicating that many cooking fires may be associated with prep−work before lunch. 

For comparison, all non−residential structure fires peak during the mid− to late−afternoon period, during the height 

of normal business hours, and residential structure fires peak between 6 and 7 p.m. when many people are at 

home cooking dinner. 

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1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

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RESTAURANT, NON−RESIDENTIAL, AND RESIDENTIAL FIRES BY TIME OF DAY 

Restaurant Non−Residential Residential

Midnight 4 a.m. 6 a.m. 8 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 8 p.m. 10 p.m. Midnight 

FIGURE 3. 

Percent of Fires 

2 a.m. 10 a.m. 

Source: NFIRS 5.0 only 

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT INVOLVED 

Cooking materials were the most frequent item first ignited (33%) in all restaurant structure fires in 2002.4 

Grease (including butter, fat, and lard) and cooking oil fires were particularly notable as the type of material 

ignited in 68% of cooking fires. The three primary types of equipment involved in restaurant cooking fires were 

deep fryers (31%), cooking ranges (18% combined), and cooking grills (11%). After cooking materials, electrical 

wiring was the second most frequent item first ignited (8%) in restaurant fires. 

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SMOKE ALARMS AND EXTINGUISHMENT SYSTEMS 

An estimated 54% of restaurant structure fires in 2002 took place in an area with no automatic extinguishing 

system (AES), such as automatic sprinklers. For fire alarms, as shown in Figure 4, an alarm was present and operated in less than one−quarter of restaurant structure fires in 2002. No alarm was present in 18% of restaurant structure fires. The presence of an alarm was unknown in half of the reported fires. 

FIGURE 4. OPERATION OF FIRE ALARMS 

(18.0%) 

Alarm present & operated 

(23.4%) 

Alarm present, 

did not operate 

(8.8%) 

Alarm unknown 

(49.8%) 

No alarm present 

Source: NFIRS 

FIRE SPREAD 

In approximately 70% of restaurant structure fires, the fire was confined to the object where the fire first 

ignited, such as a deep fryer or a trash can, and did not spread further into the room. In an additional 15% of restaurant fires, the fire spread beyond the object ignited but was contained in the room of origin. 

FIRE SUPPRESSION 

Previous examinations of NFIRS data have indicated that restaurant fires were often extinguished by fire extinguishers (35% of incidents).5 Hose lines operated by fire departments extinguished another 35% of fires. Twelve 

percent of fires were self−extinguished, and 9% were extinguished by makeshift aids.6 Finally, AESs extinguished 

6% of restaurant fires. 

REGULATIONS 

Restaurants are regulated under an assortment of codes. Although most local jurisdictions or states have established fire−safety building codes that affect restaurants, some national associations like the National Fire Protection 

Association have recommended standardized regulations regarding restaurant fire and life safety. NFPA 96: Standard 

on Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations is an established guideline regarding and often recognized as the governing standard on fire safety in commercial kitchens, which covers many of the operations of 

the commercial kitchen including exhaust and grease removal systems, fire−extinguishing equipment in restaurant 

kitchens, and the maintenance and cleaning of such equipment. 

EXAMPLES 

August 2, 2001: A fire that started in the deep fat fryer of a St. Petersburg, FL restaurant caused $50,000 in 

damage. The restaurant was 3 months overdue for routine cleaning of its chimney and hood, which also ignited 

and fueled the flames.7 

January 1, 2001: An early morning fire at a fast food restaurant in Columbia, MO caused $900,000 in damages. The fire, which was caused by grease−laden vapors in an exhaust hood over a charbroiler, took about 3 hours 

to control. Firefighters used 100,000 gallons of water by the time the fire was under control.8 

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February 14, 2000: Two Houston firefighters were killed in an early morning fire caused by arson at a fast 

food restaurant. The fire, which was set in the kitchen and storage areas of the restaurant to cover up a burglary, 

caused extensive damage to the structure, including a roof collapse that trapped the two firefighters.9 

CONCLUSION 

The nature of restaurant fires is fairly predictable given the primary activity of the business—cooking. The 

majority of restaurant fires are cooking fires, followed in frequency by heating. Electrical systems also pose a consistent fire threat due to the substantial amount of lighting and electrical wiring in restaurants. Fortunately, the 

common characteristics of restaurant fires means that fire prevention can be targeted in those areas (such as kitchens) where fires are most likely, and through inspections of older or heavily used heating and electrical systems. 

Most restaurant structure fires are contained to the area where the fire started and are extinguished using fire extinguishers or through makeshift methods (e.g., putting the lid on the pan). On average, restaurant fires produce 

slightly fewer casualties and damage per fire than other non−residential structure fires. For further information on 

restaurant fires, contact your local fire department or the USFA. 

To request additional information or comment on this report, visit 

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/feedback/ 

Notes: 1	 Distribution statistics are based on data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS 2002). At the time of this


report, NFIRS is continuing to transition from version 4.1 to 5.0. Due to issues related to accurately converting version 4.1 data


to version 5.0, this report is based on data reported only in version 5.0.


2	 Restaurant loss estimates are based on 2002 non−residential NFIRS data for which the property use was reported, and NFPA’s Fire 

Loss in the United States During 2002. Approximately 97% of 2002 non−residential fire incidents in NFIRS reported a property use and 

were included in this report. 

3	 No restaurant fire deaths were reported in the 2002 version 5.0 NFIRS data; however, one death was reported in the converted


version 4.1 data, which was excluded from this report.


4	 For restaurant structure fire incidents reported in 2002, the item first ignited and the type of material ignited were either not 

reported or were coded as unknown in 47% and 57% of the records, respectively. Data were unavailable for equipment involved 

in approximately 65% of records (not including records coded as “none”). Therefore, these estimates may have a wide margin 

of error. 

5 NFIRS 1996–1998 data.


6 Makeshift aids include baking soda, placing a lid on a frying pan, closing an oven door, etc.


7 “Grease fire closes Red’s Snak Shak,” St. Petersburg Times, August 3, 2001.


8 “Fire destroys restaurant: The grease−fed blaze did $900,000 in damages,” With the Command Web site: 


http://www.withthecommand.com, January 9, 2001.

9 “Blaze deliberate, investigators say; 4 arrested in 2 firefighters deaths,” The Houston Chronicle, February 16, 2000.


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