How to handle a fire in a commercial building

12/15/2017 (Permalink)

A fire can be devastating to a commercial business, but after the fire truck and firefighters have left, the real work has just begun. What can a professional fire damage restoration company do for a business with commercial fire damage? We'll find out.

When the firefighters and fire trucks have cleared the building of a commercial fire, a trained fire damage specialist will inspect the site to see what materials were affected by smoke damage or soot damage. The building may not be safe for anyone to work in until a commercial fire damage specialist has started work. For example, the roof may need to be boarded up and spread with tarps for the safety and security of the workers. When there's an electrical fire or fire damage to the electrical system, generators may need to be installed for temporary power. A commercial fire damage company can remove burned trees as well.

A fire hose can pump thousands of gallons of water per minute, and that water will have to be removed before the work of fire restoration can really begin. If the fire sprinkler system does its job, it can stop a lot of fire damage before it occurs. A working fire suppression system is essential to reducing damage, but the fire suppression system can also drench everything, so a lot of water from the fire hoses or fire sprinkler system may need to be removed.

One area that needs to be handled carefully is smoke and soot damage. Soot Damage is a major problem after a commercial fire, discoloring anything close to the flames. Within hours, soot damage can turn fiberglass and appliance finishes yellow. Soot damage can also tarnish metals and cause corrosion. After a few days, the smoke damage will also permanently discolor upholstery, clothing, and walls. The lingering smell of smoke can be reduced by cleaning with the proper detergents or sealing up and removing objects that are too damaged. The sooner commercial fire damage professionals are brought in, the better.

A utility room fire will often require special attention because the fire might have started in the utility room because some utility room fires are caused by storage of flammable chemicals. With the fire extinguished, a utility room fire might have burned important equipment that will need to be repaired or replaced. There also may be an electrical fire in the utility room fire that needs to be dealt with. Smoke damage can also be concentrated in the utility room's small space.

An electrical fire could have burned much of the building, and the fire hoses and fire sprinkler system might have soaked the drywall and insulation, so a fire restoration professional may need to replace it to prevent the growth of mold and mildew. Firefighters do a great job putting out fires, but they can't worry about the damage they leave behind. In some cases, the firefighters might have broken through walls or windows or the fire truck itself might have collided with the building, causing more damage. Fire restoration specialists will need to deal with that, too. The fire restoration professional can also look at the fire suppression system to make sure it will work the next time.

When it comes to hiring a commercial fire damage specialist, it's important to hire the best available. Fire restoration may involve a lot of work, because an electrical fire, soot damage, and smoke damage are all major problems, but the right professionals can take care of them. A fire sprinkler system or fire suppression system is critical to keep a fire from spreading, and a fire truck and a fire hose can save lives, but only a fire restoration professional can get a business running again.

Call SERVPRO North Arlington at 817-557-1447  for more information on fire damage.