Who said anything about a kitchen. This is an office he was asking about and there "can" be some things in there that could cause a problem.
As for monitoring systems, there are several companies out there who do this. You found one. Since the large majority of us do not live in your area I doubt you will get a review of them here. Maybe you can find a company in your area who uses them and ask them. In a lot of situations there might be a sticker on the entry door saying who does their security and fire monitoring. Most large companies out there employ a service like this. Keep in mind, if a fire does start, they will report it to the proper authority. It will not prevent a fire.
A fire can be prevented by using proper precaution. Keep clutter and litter cleaned up and disposed of. Keep vents for appliances such as computers and printers open so they can function properly. Make sure all wiring is installed properly and that any circuits are not over loaded. Make sure cords can not be damaged by chairs, cabinets, drawers, etc.
Before you get all nervous and paranoid, Find out what caused the fire at your friends place. The fire marshal will determine what it was.
