In the first 24 hours after a house fire, the priorities are simple: keep everyone safe, stay out until it's cleared, call your insurance, and secure the property. Here's a clear step-by-step checklist for the hardest day.
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In the first 24 hours after a house fire, the priorities are simple: make sure everyone is safe, do not re-enter until the fire department says it is safe, contact your insurance company, and secure the property from further damage. What you do (and do not do) in that first day protects your safety, your belongings, and your insurance claim.
A house fire is overwhelming, and it is hard to think clearly in the aftermath. Use this as a simple checklist for the first day, written for Philadelphia-area homeowners recovering from fire and smoke damage.
Step 1: Make Sure Everyone Is Safe. And Stay Out.
Account for every person and pet, and get medical attention for anyone who needs it. Then stay out of the home until the fire department confirms it is structurally safe to enter. Even after the flames are out, a fire-damaged home can hide serious dangers:
- Weakened floors, walls, and roofing that can collapse.
- Smoldering hot spots that can reignite.
- Toxic smoke residue and poor air quality.
- Electrical and gas hazards. Do not turn utilities back on yourself.
Step 2: Contact Your Insurance Company
Call your homeowners insurance carrier as soon as possible to open a claim. Fire is a covered peril on virtually every standard policy, and your policy likely includes Additional Living Expenses (ALE). Which can pay for a hotel, meals, and other costs while you are displaced. Ask your adjuster what your policy covers for temporary housing and emergency services, and keep every receipt from the moment the fire happens.
Step 3: Secure the Property
A fire-damaged home is exposed. Broken windows, holes in the roof, and open doors leave it vulnerable to weather, theft, and further damage. Most insurance policies actually require you to take reasonable steps to prevent additional damage. This is called board-up and tarp-over, and it is one of the first things a restoration company does.
Step 4: What NOT to Do After a Fire
- Do not wipe or clean soot-covered walls, ceilings, or belongings. Improper cleaning grinds soot in and causes permanent staining. Soot removal is a professional process.
- Do not turn on electronics or appliances that were exposed to heat, smoke, or water. They can be dangerous and may cause further damage.
- Do not eat food or drink anything exposed to fire, smoke, or firefighting chemicals.
- Do not throw away damaged items before documenting them. Your insurer needs to see them to reimburse you.
- Do not restore utilities yourself. Have professionals inspect electrical, gas, and water before anything is turned back on.
Need Emergency Fire Response Now?
Board-up, damage assessment, and a clear plan. We answer 24/7 across the Delaware Valley. You focus on your family. We handle the property.
Step 5: Call a Fire Damage Restoration Company
Fire recovery involves far more than the visible char. Smoke and soot penetrate walls, ductwork, and belongings; water and chemicals from firefighting create their own damage; and lingering odor requires specialized removal. A professional restoration company assesses everything, documents it for your claim, and manages the full rebuild. From cleanup to reconstruction.
New Image Restoration provides complete fire and smoke damage restoration across Philadelphia, Delaware County, Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chester County, South Jersey, and Northern Delaware. We coordinate directly with your insurance company and treat your home and belongings with the care they deserve. If you are recovering from a fire, one call gets the process started.
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Complete fire and smoke damage restoration. 24/7 response, insurance coordination, and a team that treats your home like our own.