A fire marshal's report on a commercial kitchen fire stated: 'The fire originated in the deep fryer, likely due to inadequate cleaning and accumulation of grease in the exhaust hood system. Suppression efforts were complicated by a non-functional automatic extinguishing system.' What was most likely the root cause of the fire?

Question: A fire marshal's report on a commercial kitchen fire stated: 'The fire originated in the deep fryer, likely due to inadequate cleaning and accumulation of grease in the exhaust hood system. Suppression efforts were complicated by a non-functional automatic extinguishing system.' What was most likely the root cause of the fire?

Answer options:

• Electrical malfunction in the kitchen.
• Improper storage of flammable liquids. ✅ Lack of maintenance on the cooking and ventilation equipment.
• The absence of a functional smoke detector.

Correct answer: Lack of maintenance on the cooking and ventilation equipment.

Explanation: The report explicitly states 'inadequate cleaning and accumulation of grease in the exhaust hood system' as the likely cause. This constitutes a lack of maintenance on critical kitchen equipment.