Case Study: Fire Restoration on High-Rise Building

Techniques Used: DOFF Cleaning

Service: Fire Restoration

When a fire breaks out in a building, it’s vital that owners move quickly to repair damages both internally and externally. Wickens was recently contacted to help complete one of these projects, performing a fire restoration for a 9-storey high-rise building in Ontario.

The Situation

The Wickens team was called to work on this project after a fire occurred inside one of the building’s units. The fire burst through the unit’s windows and up the side of the building. While only one unit was damaged internally, bad fire staining occurred on the poured concrete fascia of the building’s exterior, leaving behind unsightly soot and fire residue.

Our team was fully prepared to take on this project, but as we completed our planning process, we identified that the building did not have hooks or anchors to accommodate a swing stage. As the damage was between the eighth and ninth floors of the building, a swing stage would be mandatory to safely perform the cleaning, and so we were forced to adapt our plans to accommodate this.

The Solution

We started the project by hiring a third-party contractor to build and power the swing stage; they had to install anchors and hooks on the building’s roof, wire the swing stage, and set it up on the building before we began.

Our team chose to use mostly DOFF cleaning for this project, a high-temperature steam that helps remove soot and smoke residue left behind by the fire. To assist the cleaning process, we also used a decarbonizing chemical solution.

The project team consisted of three people – two highly-trained technicians with swing-stage certifications and a safety watch supervisor. While the technicians cleaned, the supervisor monitored the DOFF compressor for smooth operation, oversaw the safe and proper use of the swing stage, and ensured public safety as the project was outdoors.

While working, our team used a special technique to blend the existing damaged area with the surrounding concrete without leaving a clean scar. This ensured visual consistency on the exterior of the building, improving its aesthetic appearance.

We took a two-day cleaning approach to this job. As our cleaning method used water, we wanted to inspect our work once dried before calling the project complete. To accomplish this, we performed most of the cleaning the first day and then returned on the second for commissioning, touch-ups, and any necessary adjustments. This ensured that a high-quality restoration was completed.

The Results

Thanks to our expertise, this job was completed successfully, and the building’s exterior was returned to its pre-fire appearance.

This project was completed safely and efficiently thanks to the professional expertise Wickens brings. Our team worked at an 80 ft elevation on a swing stage; while this looks simple, there are many factors that impact cleaning when you’re working at these heights.

From start to finish, the project was completed in five business days; the swing stage took a day and a half to set up, cleaning took two days, and it took one day to remove the swing stage from the building.

Our client was satisfied with the project’s completion and Wickens’ attention to detail. They’re pleased to know they can turn to Wickens for any of their blast-cleaning needs and know the project will be done well.

Wickens Dry Ice Blasting tackles the toughest jobs across Ontario, offering fire restoration, mould remediation, asbestos abatement, lead paint abatement, and more. Contact us today for a consultation or emergency service.