A fire in Miami is rarely only about the burn: smoke and soot travel through shared air handlers and walls, and the water used to put the fire out soaks everything it touches.
In Miami’s dense condominium towers and apartment buildings, smoke can reach units that never saw flames, and sprinkler or firefighting water can reach floors below the fire. In older single-family homes, soot gets into attics, ductwork and the contents of every room.
Whether the loss is a kitchen fire in a Brickell condo or a house fire in a neighborhood such as Shenandoah or Coconut Grove, the first steps are the same: wait for the fire department’s all-clear, document the damage and call us so the cleaning, drying and deodorizing can begin in the right order.
Wait until the fire department says it is safe to enter. Even then, a building may have weakened structure, damaged electrical systems, or soot and ash that irritate lungs and skin. Do not turn on damaged appliances, avoid touching soot, and follow the guidance of the fire department and your insurer. If there is a strong smoke smell or visible soot, it is better not to sleep in the home until it has been cleaned and checked.
Miami lies low along Biscayne Bay, the Miami River and a dense network of canals, and its high water table keeps ground and soil near saturation during the wet season. In Miami we work with high-rise condominiums in Brickell and Edgewater, older concrete block homes in Little Havana and Shenandoah, historic homes around Coconut Grove, and mixed-use buildings in Wynwood and the Design District.
Areas we serve include Brickell, Edgewater, Coconut Grove, Little Havana, Wynwood and Downtown Miami, and we also help property owners in nearby Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Doral, Hialeah and Key Biscayne. Miami is in Miami-Dade County, about 36 miles from our Deerfield Beach office at 1805 S Powerline Rd. Tell us your address when you call and we will confirm timing.
The size of the fire, how far smoke spread, the types of materials involved, how much water damage there is and how much needs rebuilding all matter. A careful inspection is the only reliable way to scope the work. Ask for a written estimate that lists what will be cleaned, replaced and rebuilt.
Fire is a covered cause of loss on most property policies, but coverage limits, deductibles and requirements differ. Tell your insurer as soon as it is safe to do so, photograph the damage before anything is moved, keep receipts for emergency costs and ask for a written scope of work. Coverage decisions are made by your insurer.
A high water table, heavy summer rain, tidal flooding in low areas and humidity that stays high most of the year all push moisture into buildings. Older concrete block homes and condos with aging plumbing can hold that moisture behind finished walls, so problems often show up late.
Yes. Condo losses often involve more than one unit, so they involve the association, the building manager and more than one insurance policy. Tell us the building and unit and we will explain what we can do and what documents to gather.
Smoke damage covers several things: soot left on surfaces, smoke odor in the air and inside materials, walls and ceilings that have changed color, and corrosion on metal and electronics. Damage like this can show up in areas well away from the spot where the fire burned.
Only once the fire department and, if required, building and electrical inspectors have confirmed it is safe. Soot, ash, and structural or electrical damage can each pose dangers.
Water damage restoration ยท Mold remediation
