Failure to Properly Clean and Maintain Kitchen Ovens Resulting in Fire
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that kitchen equipment, specifically the ovens, were properly cleaned and maintained, which resulted in a fire occurring in the main kitchen. On the morning of the incident, a cook turned on the ovens after a period of non-use due to storms and discovered smoke and fire inside one of the ovens. The fire was extinguished using a hand-held fire extinguisher, and the local fire department responded to the alarms. Upon inspection, a removable panel at the bottom of the oven was found to have some grease accumulation on both the panel and its bracket, which had not been adequately cleaned. Interviews with staff revealed that the panel was supposed to be removed and cleaned during deep cleaning, but this step was sometimes forgotten by staff. The Director of Plant Operations indicated that checking the oven equipment was not part of the maintenance checklist and that he relied on dietary staff to report any issues. The County Health Department report confirmed that the fire was believed to have started due to oil or grease on the bottom tray of the oven. All 36 residents residing on the skilled nursing units had the potential to be affected by this deficiency.