back to article Cook fights for life after Google summit blaze

A kitchen worker remains in critical condition after suffering life-threatening injuries from a blaze at the annual Google I/O developer conference on Thursday. Three people were taken to hospital as a result of the fire at the event's venue, the Shoreline Ampitheatre in Mountain View, California. The flames flared up as …

  1. a_yank_lurker

    Good headline

    Had me intrigued.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Good headline

      In very poor taste, IMHO. Some low wage employee is fighting for his life, and the Reg use the opportunity for a bit of clickbait.

    2. Voland's right hand Silver badge

      Re: Good headline

      Deep fry - just say no.

      Just watch an deep frier fire once. They are almost as difficult to extinguish as metal ones. Water just makes it explode and set everything around it on fire as well as cause severe burns to anyone stupid enough to try it. Most fire extinguishers do not have the capacity to smother it and very few people are brave enough and have the presence of mind to throw a fire blanket over it (probably the only way to stop it early on). On top of that, the friers in most canteens are nicely lined up next to each other so a fire in one spreads over the whole row in a matter of seconds at which point there is absolutely nothing you can do besides running for your life. There is simply not enough fire-fighting equipment to take on the whole row of burning friers in the canteen on most premises.

      You will look differently on those fish and chips and southern fried chicken from there onwards.

      1. Whiskers

        Buiilt-in extinguishers?

        You'd think by now that legislation would have ensured that all commercial or industrial deep fryers had built-in extinguishing systems of some sort.

        1. Jon 37

          Re: Buiilt-in extinguishers?

          In UK restaurants, there's always a built-in extinguisher located above the deep fat fryer(s). In case of fire, you turn a handle and it puts out the fire.

          (Not sure if that's a legal requirement or just everyone being sensible).

          1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
            Unhappy

            "In UK restaurants,..always a built-in extinguisher located above the deep fat fryer(s)"

            You can bet that's a legal requirement, given that restaurants wouldn't give a s**t if it wasn't.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Buiilt-in extinguishers?

          In the US, and probably everywhere in the world that accepts IFC fire code, commercial kitchens must have a class K fire extinguisher system in the hood above fryers, grills, etc.

          Not sure what the code says about food stands, obviously they don't have a hood and even if they are required to have a class K extinguisher present it would require manual operation.

      2. Merrill

        Re: Good headline

        Re: deep fry - just say no

        Maybe something like an emergency drain, that would drop the hot oil into a fireproof holding tank would work?

        1. Rusty 1
          Coat

          Re: Good headline

          "Maybe something like an emergency drain...holding tank"

          You mean just like Chernobyl or Fukushima?

      3. Paul

        Re: Good headline

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDKD9LUER7A

      4. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Good headline

        What the f**k with downvoting what 'Voland's right hand' said?

        Is anyone of you downvoters a firefighting expert?

        Ever extinguished anything more than a cigarette?

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Don't worry, no programmers were harmed

    Yeah like Google care about their programmers any more than catering staff.

    Also I'll save you time reading or watching Google I/O by summarizing:

    The west had close to zero growth over the last few years but India is booming. Albeit with very low powered android phones, and expensive limited bandwidth ($1 per 30 meg) which they largely buy on pre-paid cards.

    Despite these restrictions, digital neo-colonialism is ON and everyone is rushing to launch their progressive webapps in India.

  3. Your alien overlord - fear me

    I thought it was going to about some Google super-mega something they've just launched and it was Tim Cook (and Apple) who were in trouble. Disappointing it wasn't :-(

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Except they are, Google products have been vastly superior for a very long time,. You only have to look at the dwindling number of iPhone sales, the number of Google of Google products and services used in iPhone in preference to apples offering, and the superiority of android over iOS, Google maps over Apple maps, Google search and so on, and Apple are on a road to irrelevance

  4. Steve Button Silver badge

    Don't worry, no programmers were harmed

    That's in very poor taste considering... oh wait, it's you Iain.

  5. David 164

    At least it seems Google cares about it cooks, hopefully that stretch to Google paying all of their medical expenses.

    1. Kernel

      "At least it seems Google cares about it cooks, hopefully that stretch to Google paying all of their medical expenses."

      I can see that their employer (the events centre) might have an obligation to pay their medical expenses, but I can't quite see why their employer's customer (Google) should feel any need to do so.

      1. Peter2 Silver badge

        Having learned to take everything sales and PR types say with several tons of salt, it'd note that it says:-

        A spokesperson for the web giant told The Register on Friday: "We can confirm there was a small fire in a kitchen at Shoreline Ampitheatre. We're thankful to the fire department for putting it out and ensuring everyone's safety. No attendees were hurt but regretfully, three event staff were injured and we're making sure they receive the proper treatment."

        Now, that could mean that a discussion is going like this:-

        Google: So, <event company> are your employees receiving treatment.

        Company: Well, their at hospital, but I don't know how their going to pa...

        Google: Great to know they are getting appropriate treatment.

        Unless Google explicitly say they are paying for treatment, I wouldn't assume they are footing the bill. This being America hopefully they had medical insurance that covers their medical care.

  6. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    The kitchen : still one of the most dangerous places on Earth

    And, it seems, even for professionals.

    I hope they all recover, and without too many scars (either physical or mental).

  7. fivmincal

    Small fire in a kitchen at Shoreline Amphitheatre... fire department for putting it out and ensuring everyone's safety. No attendees were hurt.

    Yet the article is about people getting burned. I would guess that with SPIN like this people are to come to the conclusion that staff are less than everyone and don't even count as attending the very event that they cater.

    Hel\l this could just as well be some drunk high individual burning 3 people for the fun of it. nope there not even here there not attending.

    What a crock.

    now some spam garbage bot reply. ssdd

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