Independent Damage Assessment and Contamination Profiling on a Major Fire Claim in a Warehouse

February 19, 2026

When a fire broke out in a cleaning cupboard within a large distribution warehouse, the resulting smoke damage affected internal office units and raised concerns about contamination across the wider facility.

With several stakeholders involved (warehouse tenant, property landlord, insurer, internal contractor, and restoration contractor) we were brought in to determine the extent and severity of the damage. Following the fire, the policyholder had already begun remediation works through their own contractor and the estimated costs were approaching £1million within the first week.

The initial position from the tenant’s contractor was that the entire warehouse required decontamination. We were appointed on behalf of the insurer to provide independent advice on the works required.

What we did:

• Provided an independent scope of works for strip out and decontamination
• Damage scene recording utilising 360° photogrammetry
• Quantified contamination levels & affected areas
• Targeted the sampling to the seat of the fire working outwards across the warehouse
• Inspection of ductwork for smoke/soot spread

What we found

Through our practical, technical and scientific approach, we were able to determine that the contamination was only present in the end bay and office area, which was nearest the seat of the fire. This confirmed that there was no need for a full warehouse decontamination and only minimal strip out was required. The ductwork contamination risk was also confirmed to be localised as well. This meant that the warehouse could remain operational with only the affected areas closed off whilst work was carried out.

Our involvement significantly narrowed the required remediation scope and ensured that decisions were based on quantitative data. This put the policyholder and tenant at ease, knowing the correct works were being completed and heavily reduced business interruption.