Location: Skokie, Illinois
Property Type: Multi-story, mixed-use property [confirm]
Service Provided: Fire and smoke damage mitigation, water damage cleanup, demolition, and structural cleaning
Cost of Services: $105,000
The Problem and Our Solution
On November 11, 2025, a fire broke out in a multi-story property in Skokie, Illinois. Our team arrived at the property within an hour and first inspected the damage throughout the building, checking all three floors to see how far fire, smoke, and water reached. We also examined the roof and exterior walls to determine the scope of our work.
Here’s what we found and how we addressed each issue:
Second Floor
- Damaged walls and ceilings. Fire, smoke, and water from firefighting damaged the kitchen, dining room, hallway, bathroom, second bedroom, laundry room, and utility room. We demolished damaged sections, removing drywall and insulation to reach the framing.
- Damaged flooring and ceilings in other rooms. We took out damaged hardwood and floating flooring, and opened ceiling sections where necessary.
- Smoke residue and debris. We used HEPA vacuums and dry-cleaning soot sponges to remove smoke residue from exposed wooden framing and other surfaces after demolition.
First Floor
- Water- and smoke-damaged rooms. Water and smoke damaged the offices, hallway, and bathroom. We removed damaged walls, ceilings, and hardwood flooring.
- Smoke residue in the kitchen. We used HEPA vacuums and soot-cleaning products to remove smoke residue and debris from kitchen surfaces.
Basement
- Extensive damage in several rooms. There was damage in most of the storage rooms, utility room, and sump pump room, so we had to demolish big sections of these rooms.
- Damaged bedroom walls and ceiling. We partially removed the walls and ceiling to reach damaged materials.
Common Areas and Roof
- Smoke in stairways and landings. Smoke spread into these areas, so we used HEPA vacuums and dry-cleaning soot sponges to remove the residue.
- Opening in the roof. We placed a temporary waterproof tarp over the opening and secured it with plywood boards to prevent rainwater from entering and help keep the property secure.
- Fire-damaged exterior materials. We inspected the exterior walls and exposed framing to determine the extent of the damage.
The Timeline
November 11–12 – Fire Damage Inspection and Initial Mitigation
A fire that broke out in the building spread across several floors. Over the first two days, we:
- Inspected to see how much damage the fire and firefighting water caused.
- Covered the opening on the roof with a temporary waterproof tarp and secured it with plywood boards to prevent water and possible intruders from getting in.
- Set up air movers and other drying equipment.
November 13–22 – Water Cleanup and Structural Drying
- Vacuumed water from the floors and continued drying the property.
- Monitored how the area dries during follow-up visits.
- On November 22, removed some drying equipment.
December 3–5 – Interior Demolition and Material Removal
- Removed damaged ceiling drywall and wall sections to reach the framing.
- Cut and removed damaged hardwood flooring and leftover staples.
- Placed plastic sheeting and collected demolition debris to throw away.
- Started cleaning the affected surfaces in the demolished area.
December 11–January 31 – Continued Demolition and Smoke Damage Cleaning
- Removed some more drywall, insulation, and other materials from walls and ceilings.
- Continued cleaning exposed framing, brickwork, and windows.
- Vacuumed dust, cleared out debris, and continued cleanup through January 31.
March 9 – Final Cleaning and Project Completion
We returned to do final cleaning and completed our work at the property.
