Can Food Stores Be Saved During Fire Damage Restoration In a Restaurant?

9/17/2020 (Permalink)

Contact SERVPRO today for assistance with fire damage in your Paramus restaurant.

Paramus Restaurant Owners Are Concerned About Food During Fire Damage Restoration.

Anyone who runs a restaurant in the Paramus area knows how much time, money, and dedication it takes to keep a restaurant thriving and profitable. Sound financial practices are a crucial part of business success, and savvy business owners know the importance of using their dollars wisely.

If your Paramus eatery needs fire damage restoration, you might be concerned about your food stocks. SERVPRO of Paramus understands – a restaurant is nothing without food, and you have likely invested plenty of money in your inventory.

What are the risks to food during fire damage?

Fresh food such as meat and vegetables might be burned in the fire, or if they survive they could be contaminated by soot or toxic fumes. However, canned and packet food is also at risk from a fire. The heat from the fire can have the following effects on cans of food:

• The cans can warp and bulge, causing seals to break and rendering them unsafe
• Heat damage can cause food inside the can to start spoiling
• Toxic fumes can seep into the can, contaminating the food and causing an unpleasant taste
  
  

What should I throw out after a fire?

SERVPRO strongly recommends you throw the following items away if they have come into contact with heat from the fire, chemicals, or water from firefighting efforts:

• All fresh fruit, vegetables, salad, eggs, poultry, and meat
• Any containers or packets that were already open
• Food stored in foil, paper, plastic, or cloth packaging
• Food stored in canisters or packets with peel-off tops
  
  

We cannot stress this strongly enough – if in doubt, throw it out. It is frustrating to have to replace food, but it is better than using food that might be contaminated.

Can I salvage any food at all?

You might be able to salvage some canned food, under specific circumstances. The food must be stored far enough from the fire that it did not come into contact with the heat of the fire. There must be no sign of water, firefighting chemicals, soot, or heat damage. In some cases, the fire is small enough, and the food stored far enough away that it can be salvaged.

What about food in the freezer or refrigerator?

Some fridges and freezers do not have completely tight seals. Smoke can get into the unit, and soot can bond to the appliance’s surface. However, if the freezer is located far from the fire, you might be able to save the food if it has not defrosted. If the freezer lost power during the fire, be extremely cautious about keeping any food.

What about the restaurant itself – can SERVPRO help salvage that?

Your food is not your only concern after a restaurant fire. Fire damage can have wide-ranging effects, including:

• Soot stains on the ceilings, walls, and across preparation surfaces
• Fire damage to restaurant appliances such as cookers
• Discolored upholstery due to soot damage, or water from firefighting efforts
• Warped or cracked wooden furniture or wooden décor
• A lingering smoky smell

Thankfully we are on hand to assist you with every aspect of fire damage restoration. Our process is based on thorough inspection and repair that leaves your business “Like it never even happened.” We train our technicians to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) standards, and equip them with industry-leading equipment.

What happens during restoration?

The first step in a fire damage restoration is assessment. After examining your property and the extent of the damage, we draw up a cleaning plan for your business. We consult with you at every stage to ensure you are satisfied.

We use dry scrubbing to clean away dry soot. However, many restaurant fires include burning protein, which creates greasy, sticky soot that is harder to clean. We use scrubbing, wet wiping, ultrasonic cleaning, and even baking soda blasting, to remove stubborn soot. Our teams know which cleaning method is best suited to different materials.

We can also clean carpets, drapes, and upholstery. When we cannot salvage soft furnishings, we oversee their replacement, to leave your restaurant looking as good as new.

If firefighting efforts have left your restaurant wet, we use dehumidifiers and air movers to dry it. We close out by deodorizing your eatery with air scrubbers, foggers, and ozone generators.

Is there anything I can do to help the restoration process along?

We recommend signing up to SERVPRO Emergency Ready Plan (ERP). ERP is a free app that helps you plan for disasters in your business. Follow the on-screen instructions to log details about your business and register us as your go-to fire damage restoration specialists. ERP saves valuable time in the event of a disaster.

If your restaurant has suffered fire damage, do not delay. Call SERVPRO of Paramus at (201) 445-5588.