Condominium Fire Damage Mitigation & Rebuild

The Loss Event

Fire damage is among the most complex restoration work we perform, and this project was no exception. A commercial property sustained significant fire, smoke, and water damage from the blaze itself and the suppression effort that followed. The fire burned through approximately 6,000 square feet of interior space, and the resulting firefighting water, an estimated 15,000 gallons, soaked every material on the ground floor.

Soot, char, and water had penetrated every surface in the structure, and the acrid smell of smoke had permeated materials two rooms away from the fire’s origin. Standard cleanup was not an option until the building was cleared as safe to enter.

The WrightWay Response

Before any cleanup could begin, our team conducted a thorough hazardous materials assessment. Older commercial buildings can contain asbestos in floor tile, pipe insulation, and joint compound, and fire conditions can release those fibers into the air. We worked with a third-party industrial hygienist to test affected materials and clear the structure for our crews to enter without elevated PPE protocols beyond standard fire-restoration kit.

Once testing cleared the structure, WrightWay handled the complete fire cleanup:

• Debris removalOver 30 cubic yards of fire debris hauled out and documented
• Controlled demolitionFire-damaged structural elements removed under engineering oversight, including load-bearing headers that required temporary shoring
• Surface cleaningHEPA-vacuuming and chemical sponge cleaning across every salvageable surface
• Odor neutralizationOzone treating the structure to neutralize embedded smoke odor at the molecular level
• Air quality monitoringContinuous monitoring throughout the project to protect crew and neighboring tenants

Crew, Coordination, and Documentation

A team of 10 technicians worked the project for 18 days, coordinating daily with the property’s insurance adjuster and a structural engineer to ensure every demolition decision was documented and every repair met code. We managed the scope, timeline, and documentation against the carrier’s requirements from day one using Xactimate-formatted estimates, so the eventual reconstruction had a clean baseline to build from.

By the Numbers

• Damaged areaApproximately 6,000 sq ft of commercial interior
• Water volume~15,000 gallons of firefighting water saturating ground-floor materials
• Crew size10 technicians on site daily
• Hazmat clearanceThird-party industrial hygienist testing before crew entry
• Total duration18 days from mobilization to clean structural shell ready for reconstruction

The Outcome

The result was a clean, structurally sound shell ready for full reconstruction. We delivered a complete Xactimate estimate and photo documentation package that streamlined the insurance approval process, and the property owner moved into reconstruction without the back-and-forth that delays so many post-fire claims.

Why It Matters