Lightning During Storm Causes Fire to Residential Dehumidifier

9/3/2020 (Permalink)

Heavy Soot On Items Caused By a Dehumidifier That Burned From A Lightning Strike

A recent thunderstorm with lightning caused this structure in Milwaukee, WI to have a fire with significant smoke damage.  The energy in the lightning caused a power surge in this business and the dehumidifier could not handle that surge and a fire began.  This before picture shows the soot and mess left behind after the fire was put out and the smoke cleared.

SERVPRO of SW Waukesha County was called to scope the damage and clean up the mess.  You can see in the photo how the soot fell onto the gallon jug and on the water bottle.  All horizontal surfaces, including the carpeting, had this same heavy soot fall.

The first step in this process was to speak with an insurance adjuster and develop an action plan.  SERVPRO, along with the owner of the building and the contents, worked together to help determine what items would be salvageable and what items would be considered a total loss.  Then the items that are non-salvageable are inventoried and photographed and discarded.  All remaining items are inventoried and photographed and then cleaned and disinfected by the certified fire & smoke restoration technicians at SERVPRO of SW Waukesha County.

For all your fire damage needs, call on the professionals at SERVPRO to help make it "Like it never even happened."  262-542-0900