How to Deal with a Commercial Fire's Aftermath

5/27/2024 (Permalink)

An example of what fire damage can do to your business.

Calling emergency services and the fire restoration company are some of the most critical steps to take when a fire is inside your Austin area business. However, addressing the aftermath requires more action, especially as recovery can take some time. Prepare the building for reconstruction and keep your staff safe with these procedures.

Prepare Your Fire Insurance
Once everyone is safe and the firemen have controlled the situation, you must call your insurance company immediately. They will send representatives to work with you, examine the damage, and determine your business's coverage. The commercial building restoration service that will handle your property can also assist with the claim. It can run the inspection and fire assessment and organize the required paperwork for an easier process.

Avoid Touching the Damage
The experts handling the fire restoration inside the building will have the necessary tools and experience to tackle the scenario. As such, you should avoid touching or cleaning affected areas such as:

• Clothes and cloth-based items
• Electrical devices and equipment
• Ceiling lights and other fixtures
• Packaged and sealed food
• Walls, painted surfaces and carpet floors
• Other soot-coated objects
  
  

Without the appropriate resources and techniques, you can risk spreading the damage or making its effects permanent. To ensure a successful smoke cleaning, you and anyone working in the building should leave these areas untouched.

Make the Building Safer
Though you cannot interfere with the damaged parts, there are some ways you can make your business building safer for anyone using it. Dispose of contaminated food to ensure no one eats it. Also, empty the refrigerators and freezers once unplugged and keep them open to avoid additional contamination. Collaborate with the remediators to board up the building and prevent more damage.
An immediate response following a commercial fire is essential, not just from emergency responders and the fire restoration agents but also from you. Learn about the steps to take after the incident to facilitate the recovery.