Many hazardous contaminants remain after a fire in a home or business. Even a small fire or smoke event in any home or business anywhere in the Flathead Valley can generate residual chemicals (in soot and ash form) that may have serious health effects for occupants or those who come in to clean up afterward.

Bottom Line Warning Here: Only qualified professionals should clean after a fire. The toxic chemicals that are left behind in an unknowable mix of residue depend on what materials and furnishings burned. The mix may contain the source materials and chemistry of seriously bad stuff like:

• Hydrogen cyanide
• Benzene and Manganese  
• Toluene Diisocyanate
• Styrene
• Toluene
• Hydrogen Floride (and Bromide)
• Formaldehyde
• Chlorinated PCB's
• Dioxins
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's)
• Heavy Metals

The list is a long one depending on what burned. Plastics and synthetic fabrics from carpet and furnishings being a most toxic source of a myriad of dangerous and carcinogenic chemicals. 

Improper cleaning can cause ash and soot to etch the surface of items that can be cleaned if handled properly. Uninformed cleaning may also spread contaminants to areas of a building that could be kept clean.

Proper ventilation immediately after a fire and continuing during cleanup are essential to reducing levels of toxic gases and dust. Anyone entering a fire scene needs to be equipped with appropriate protective equipment, including self contained breathing apparatus, respirators and chemical suits. This type of protective equipment and training for its use is rarely available to the average property owner. 

Again, please call in a restoration professional with verifiable experience and certification and insurances for this type of work. Fire and smoke cleanup and restoration is NOT a do-it-yourselfer's project. If you have any questions about the wisdom of wading into a fire scene, be sure to discuss this with your insurance adjuster or local fire chief.

Call Floodco LLC at 406 892-1717 

(Source: Journal of Cleaning, Restoration & Inspection Dec. 2015)

Posted by Lloy