Tougher Restrictions Likely After Fatal Fire

BOSTON -- Tougher standards are on the table when it comes to getting rid of grease in Boston restaurants after two Boston firefighters died in a West Roxbury restaurant fire last month.

NewsCenter 5's Steve Lacy reported that there is currently no certification process in Boston for companies involved in grease cleaning. Critics have argued that has led to an unregulated industry that is open to just about anyone, regardless of whether they have the training required to do the job properly.

A preliminary investigation indicated that it was a grease buildup in a kitchen exhaust pipe that caused the fire that killed two Boston firefighters, Warren Payne and Paul Cahill, at the Tai Ho restaurant on Centre Street last month. The fire occurred despite the fact that the restuarant had its vents cleaned just two months earlier.

In response, the Boston Globe reported that members of the Boston City Council are now preparing to draft legislation requiring new certification requirements for companies hired by restaurants to remove grease.

The push for more oversite, which is said to have the support of a majority of the council, would establish training requirements for all grease-removal workers. Lawmakers at the Statehouse are also planning to draft similar legislation that would apply to cleaning companies statewide.

More changes will likely be made to city and state fire codes after the investigation into the deadly fire is completed, but the final report is not expected until next year.