After a House Fire in Ohio: First Steps to Restoration

After a house fire in Ohio, the first steps are: stay out until the fire department says the house is safe, find a safe place to stay, call your insurance company, secure the property, and document the damage before cleanup starts. Restoration comes after those steps. Doing them in order protects your family, your home, and your claim.

A fire changes a lot in one day. This guide walks through the first few days in plain order, so you know what to do next.

What should you do in the first hours?

The American Red Cross lists four steps to take right after a home fire:

1. Call 9-1-1, and give first aid where needed.
2. Let friends and family know you are safe.
3. Get people and animals with serious injuries or burns to medical or veterinary care right away.
4. Stay out of the house until local fire authorities say it is safe to go back in.

If you need a place to stay, food, or clothing, contact the Red Cross or another local relief group. The U.S. Fire Administration notes that disaster relief services can help you find food, clothing, medicine, and a place to stay.

When can you go back inside?

Only when the fire department says so. The Red Cross also says not to cross colored tape over doors or windows, and not to enter a home with a building inspector's color-coded sign until you know what it means (Red Cross: checking your home after a fire).

When you are cleared to go in:

• Look at the outside first. Check for loose power lines, damaged gas lines, foundation cracks, and missing supports on porches and overhangs.
• Do not force a jammed door. The Red Cross notes it may be holding up part of the structure.
• Watch the ceilings and floors. Water from fire hoses makes plaster and drywall heavy. Sagging ceilings and floors can collapse.
• Use a flashlight. No candles or open flames.
• Leave if you smell gas or hear hissing. Call the fire department from a safe place.

Who turns the utilities back on?

Not you. The U.S. Fire Administration says the fire department will make sure water, electricity, and gas are safe to use. If they are not safe, firefighters will turn them off before they leave. USFA says do not try to turn them back on yourself.

The Red Cross adds that natural gas shut off at the main valve must be turned back on by a professional. If breakers tripped, leave them off and have an electrician check the wiring.

Why are there holes in my roof and walls?

This surprises a lot of homeowners. USFA explains that firefighters may break windows and cut holes in the roof to slow the fire and clear smoke. They may also open walls to make sure no fire is hiding inside.

That is normal, and it saves houses. It also means the home is open to rain and to people. The National Roofing Contractors Association says roof openings should be temporarily covered with tarps to limit rain damage. NRCA also advises against patching or coating the roof yourself, because that can cover evidence a roofer needs to see. Our guide to emergency roof tarping explains what a good tarp job looks like.

Is there an Ohio fire investigation?

Sometimes. In Ohio, the State Fire Marshal's Fire and Explosion Investigations Bureau investigates the origin and cause of fires and assists local fire and police departments. Your local fire department is still your first contact.

Either way, ask the fire department two things before you start cleanup:

1. Is an investigation still open, and when can we start removing debris?
2. What is the fire incident report number, and how do I get a copy?

USFA's after-the-fire booklet includes a space to write down the fire department's name, its non-emergency number, and the incident report number. Your insurance company will likely ask for that report.

How do you secure the house?

A burned or empty house needs protection. USFA recommends that you call the police to let them know the house will be vacant, and says you may need to board up windows and doors.

Ask your insurance company what it expects you to do to protect the home. USFA suggests asking two questions: what you should do to keep the home safe until it is repaired, and who you should talk to about cleaning it up.

First-week checklist

1. Get everyone safe, treated, and housed.
2. Call your insurance company and get a claim number.
3. Get the fire incident report number from the fire department.
4. Tell your mortgage company or landlord about the fire.
5. Let the police know if the house will sit empty.
6. Get roof and window openings covered and doors secured.
7. Photograph every room and the outside of the house before cleanup.
8. Start saving receipts for everything you spend because of the fire.
9. Report lost credit cards, and start a list of documents to replace.
10. Throw out food, drinks, and medicine exposed to heat, smoke, or soot.

USFA's list of documents people often need to replace includes driver's licenses, titles and deeds, insurance policies, passports, birth and marriage certificates, Social Security and Medicare cards, wills, medical records, and tax records.

What about insurance?

Call your insurer right away and ask what to do first. Keep receipts. Ask whether your policy pays for a place to stay while the house is repaired. For how Ohio claims work in general, read our Ohio insurance claims guide. Your insurance company decides what it covers.

What does fire restoration involve?

Once the house is cleared and the insurer has seen it, restoration usually moves through these stages:

• Debris removal. Burned materials and ruined contents come out.
• Smoke and soot cleanup. Surfaces are cleaned, and odor is treated.
• Water damage from firefighting. Wet drywall, insulation, and flooring are removed or dried so mold does not start.
• Structural repairs. Damaged framing, roofing, walls, and floors are rebuilt.
• Finishes. Drywall, paint, trim, flooring, and fixtures go back in.

The Red Cross recommends making sure your contractor gets a building permit and follows current building, fire, and electrical codes. It also suggests interconnected smoke alarms on every level, outside sleeping areas, and inside bedrooms when you rebuild.

If smoke reached parts of the house the fire did not, our guide to smoke damage cleanup and what can be saved helps you sort your belongings.

How Shamrock can help

Shamrock provides fire and smoke damage restoration in Cincinnati, West Chester, and nearby towns. That includes debris removal, smoke and soot cleanup, odor removal, water and mold remediation from firefighting, and structural repairs. We document the damage with photos and a written scope and can meet your adjuster at the house. Most fire projects take from a few weeks to a few months. Request a free estimate or call (513) 999-9015. The phone line is answered 24 hours a day.

FAQ

When can I go back into my house after a fire? Only after the fire department says it is safe. Even then, go in during daylight, wear sturdy shoes and gloves, and watch for sagging ceilings and floors.

Should I start cleaning up right away? Not before you photograph everything and talk to your insurer. Ask the fire department whether an investigation is still open. Once you are cleared, early cleanup of soot and water limits further damage.

Can I stay in part of the house if the fire was small? Ask the fire department first. Smoke and soot travel through the whole house, and utilities may be off. Have the house checked before anyone sleeps there.

How long does fire restoration take? It depends on the damage. Most fire projects take from a few weeks to a few months.

Related guides

• Smoke damage cleanup: what can be saved
• Water damage in your Cincinnati home: what to do first
• How to file an insurance claim in Ohio