House Fire: Causes and Aftercare

Small house fires are said to be frequent in the United States; and in the Red Cross survey, about 80 percent of Americans are not aware of this. The destruction caused by the house fire aftermath is immense. EKU online reports that house fires remain the primary cause of death and damage to property in the United States. 

Before enumerating what you need to do after a fire, it is important to know the contributory factors to a house fire. As an adage goes, “prevention is better than cure.”

One thing is for sure; there is no sole reason for fires since there are many of them. The National Fire Protection Association recognizes that the possible causes of a house fire are the following: 

• Product defects or appliances/devices that produce heat or use electricity are fire hazards that when forgotten or unwatched could cause a house fire. When devices overheat or the electrical work and wirings are poor, the risk for a house fire increases.

• Candles, fireplaces, grills, and other light decorations left unattended are fire hazards.

• Smoking irresponsibly, for example, dozing off while smoking or leaving the cigarette near materials that are likely to catch fire is a significant fire risk.

• Mishandling combustible gases or chemicals are also contributory to house fires. 

• A naturally occurring phenomenon like lightning that produces electrostatic discharge, when colliding with homes in forested vicinities, is likely to cause a house fire.

• Supervising exploring and curious children who play with fires is a must to diminish the risk of house fires. Not only children are responsible for causing a fire, but even adults who mishandle or are negligent with fire. 

If a house fire does happen, there are things you need to do during its aftermath, that is after the emotional trauma has subsided.

Here are fundamental things and the full step by step on what to do during a house fire aftermath.

• Do not immediately enter your home. Call the fire station. Whether the fire is immense or small, you need the fire station to give a clearance that everything is safe. The fire may rekindle because of unknown damages. Moreover, the fire aftermath can be hazardous to your health when you inhale soot and smoke. So wait for clearance first. 

• Secure your home. Turn off the gas, electricity, and water, remove combustible items, and close the doors/windows. You can also ask someone else to do it to ensure your safety.

• Once everything is safe or cleared, try to salvage what you can, especially pertinent documents and valuables. 

• After processing your feelings, check the condition of your family, especially if you weren’t alone during the disaster. Let other family members or close friends know what happened. It is hard to process everything alone, especially when you are also trying to deal with your feelings. If you are not the homeowner or you are just the renter, inform the property owners. That way, they can think of what steps to take for the recovery process.

• Process your house fire insurance claim and contact the insurance company to walk you through the necessary steps for the restoration process. It would be best to take pictures of the damages and provide the necessary information about the fire.

• Contact a fire restoration company to help you restore the property or deal with the damages. They will also help you determine if the property is still salvageable depending on the extent of the structural damage.

• Find a safe place to temporarily reside while everything is taken care of. Give time for healing for you and your family.