Curry houses blighted by exploding tandoors

Health and Safety officers have issued a warning to the curry houses of Birmingham after a spate of injuries caused by exploding tandoori ovens. A number of restaurant workers have been severely burned because the modern gas tandoors, used to cook chicken tikka and nan bread, were not properly maintained.

Birmingham City Council inspectors also found that at many establishments kitchen staff routinely lit the ovens by throwing in burning serviettes, rather than using an ignition system.



One oven at Chandni Chowks Restaurants and Sweets, in Handsworth, was found to have never been maintained after being installed by a chef, rather than a qualified engineer.

A build-up of gas inside the clay pot of the oven caused it to explode while being lit by an employee, laving him with severe burns to his hands, face and eyes. The owners were fined £3,500 and ordered to pay £2,500 costs at Birmingham Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to failing to maintain their tandoor on January 22.