Restaurant owner fined $22,000 for fire code violations after grease duct fire

WOODSTOCK— A fire last year at a local restaurant has landed its owner in hot water.

The owner of the Bamboo restaurant on Norwich Avenue has been fined $22,000 plus court costs for numerous fire code violations discovered after a November 2010 fire there.

On March 9, the company and manager plead guilty to a total of 11 charges, which ranged from not testing the fire alarms annually to failing to install the appropriate equipment at two cooking stations.

This week, the company was sentenced to $18,000 in fines and the restaurant manager was fined $4,000.

"While it is encouraging that the restaurant quickly corrected the code violations, it should not take a fire and charges to remind owners of their responsibilities," said Fire Chief Scott Tegler. "When we are dealing with fire and life safety issues, we will continue to use all aspects of enforcement available, including charges, to enforce compliance."

Woodstock firefighters quickly extinguished the fire inside the rooftop kitchen exhaust system at the restaurant. Damage was estimated at about $15,000. No one was hurt in the blaze.

Woodstock Fire encourages business and property owners to contact them to discuss fire code requirements or to help answer any questions they may have.