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🧯 Fire Damage Cleanup · All 5 boroughs
Fire or smoke damage in NYC? Get matched with a local cleanup company
After a fire, the flames are only part of the damage. Soot and smoke spread through rooms the fire never reached, the water used to put it out soaks walls and floors, and broken windows leave the home open to weather and break-ins. The steps below help once the fire department says it’s safe. If you want, we can connect you with an independent local fire-damage company for free.
- Free to use — no obligation
- Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island
- You choose whether to hire anyone
Heads-up: we’re a referral service, not the company that does the work. We pass your request to independent local providers.
What to do right now
- Make sure everyone is out and safe. Do not go back inside until the fire department says it is safe to enter.
- Do not turn the gas, electricity or water back on yourself. Firefighters may have shut them off; ask the utility or a licensed professional to restore them.
- Call your insurance company as soon as you can and ask what they need from you first. Renters’ insurance can also cover your belongings and a place to stay.
- Take photos and video of every room and every damaged item before anything is thrown out or cleaned. Keep receipts for everything you spend.
- If windows, doors or the roof were broken, the home needs to be boarded up or covered to keep out rain and intruders. In a rental building this is usually the building’s job; in your own home, ask your insurer before you hire someone.
- If you need a place to stay tonight, the Red Cross Greater New York Region responds to home fires around the clock and can help with food, clothing and a short hotel stay.
⚠️ Safety first
- Soot, ash and the dirty water left after a fire can contain things that make you sick. Wear gloves and a mask if you go in, and keep kids and pets out.
- Ceilings, floors and stairs can be weakened by fire and water. Stay out of any area that sags, cracks or has holes.
- Throw away food, drinks and medicine that were near the heat, smoke or firefighting water.
- Older NYC buildings may have asbestos or lead paint. Disturbing burned materials can release them, so leave demolition to professionals.
- If you smell gas, leave right away and call 911 from outside. Gas emergency lines: Con Edison 1-800-752-6633; National Grid (Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island) 1-718-643-4050.
Common causes
- Cooking left on the stove
- Overloaded outlets, extension cords or old wiring
- Space heaters too close to beds, curtains or furniture
- Lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes, scooters and other devices
- Candles and smoking materials
- A fire in a neighboring apartment that sends smoke and water into yours
What to ask before you hire
- Do you handle soot and smoke cleanup, odor removal and board-up yourselves, or do you send some of it to other companies?
- How do you remove smoke odor (cleaning, sealing, air scrubbing), and how will we know it worked?
- Can you send photos, an itemized estimate and a scope of work directly to my insurance company? Do you give a written estimate before starting?
- Will you test for asbestos or lead before removing burned materials in an older building?
- If walls, floors or ceilings need to be rebuilt, do you hold a NYC Home Improvement Contractor license for that part? (You can check a license on the DCWP site.)
- If anyone offers to negotiate my insurance claim for a fee, are they a licensed public adjuster? (New York licenses public adjusters; you can look them up on the DFS license search.)
Fire Damage Cleanup by borough
Jump to: Brooklyn · Queens · Manhattan · Bronx · Staten Island
Fire Damage Cleanup in Brooklyn
Brownstones and row houses in Brooklyn share walls, so a fire next door can leave smoke and water damage in your home too. Many are older buildings, so ask for asbestos and lead testing before damaged plaster or floors come out.
Get matched with a Brooklyn pro →Fire Damage Cleanup in Queens
In the one- and two-family houses common across Queens, a fire often starts in the kitchen or the basement. Smoke travels up through the house, so plan on cleaning floors that the flames never reached.
Get matched with a Queens pro →Fire Damage Cleanup in Manhattan
In Manhattan apartment buildings, the building’s management and its insurer usually handle board-up, cleanup and rebuilding of the building itself. Your renters’ insurance covers your belongings. In a co-op or condo, check what the building covers before you hire anyone for your unit.
Get matched with a Manhattan pro →Fire Damage Cleanup in Bronx
In the Bronx’s large prewar apartment buildings, one fire can affect many units through smoke and firefighting water. If the City puts a vacate order on your apartment, it is not an eviction; the NYC Council’s fire guide explains your rights and where to get help.
Get matched with a Bronx pro →Fire Damage Cleanup in Staten Island
Staten Island has many single-family homes, where the owner arranges board-up, cleanup and repairs through their homeowners insurance. Ask your insurer what they need before cleanup starts, and keep every receipt.
Get matched with a Staten Island pro →Questions
Is fire damage covered by insurance?
Most homeowners and renters policies cover fire, but what is covered, and how much, depends on your policy. Call your insurer right away, keep photos and receipts, and ask whether your policy pays for a place to stay while your home is repaired.
Can I clean soot and smoke myself?
Light smoke film on hard surfaces can sometimes be cleaned, but soot smears easily and can be harmful, and smoke odor often sits inside walls, furniture and vents. Ask your insurer first. Many people use a professional fire-damage company, and the insurer may pay for it.
Who is responsible after a fire in a rental building?
In general the building owner handles board-up, cleanup and repairs to the building and your unit, usually through their own insurance. Your belongings are covered by your renters’ insurance, if you have it. The NYC Council’s fire guide explains what tenants can expect.
Can a cleanup company handle my insurance claim?
A cleanup company can document the damage and send estimates to your insurer. Negotiating the claim for you is different: in New York, anyone who adjusts claims for a fee on your behalf needs a license, such as a public adjuster license from the NYS Department of Financial Services.
Do you charge me for the referral?
No. The referral is free for you. Any work is agreed and paid directly between you and the company you choose.
How this works
- Tell us what’s wrong: the form takes about a minute.
- We pass your request to an independent local company that handles this kind of job in your area.
- They contact you to talk through the problem and the price. You decide whether to hire them.
The referral is free. We may be paid by the provider or a referral network. We don’t check or guarantee licenses, insurance, prices or quality. Please verify any company before you hire it. More on how it works.
Official sources
- U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA) — After the Fire: Returning to Normal
- NYC Council — Residential Fire Emergency Response Guide
- American Red Cross Greater New York — Emergency Services
- NYS Department of Financial Services — Opinion on adjuster licensing (claims adjusted in New York require a license)
- NYS Department of Financial Services — Insurance License Search (includes public adjusters)
- NYC DCWP — Check License Status
- Con Edison — Contact Us: Emergencies
- National Grid — Metro NY phone numbers