How Can You Select Reliable Chicago Fire Damage Restoration?

3/7/2021 (Permalink)

What room in your home was affected by recent fire damage? Contact SERVPRO for information about remediation services.

Training, Tools are Why SERVPRO Excels at Smoke and Soot Cleanup

Although the Chicago Fire of 1871, perhaps better known as the Great Chicago Fire, was breathtaking in its destruction and loss of life, the disaster to some extent cleared the way for the building of the city we see today. Development of safer building codes and the modern firefighting model trace back to the devastation starting near the now-exonerated Mrs. O’Leary’s barn.

When and How Did the Great Chicago Fire Occur?

The blaze ignited on October 8 and burned until October 10, 1871. Tradition blames an ornery cow kicking a lantern for the cause, but Catherine O’Leary and her livestock were not the culprits. No specific reason for the fire has been proven, with human error likely, although one theory has a meteorite starting the fire. The dry fall weather and a housing and commercial building stock of primarily wooden buildings allowed the fire to rage out of control. At that time, even streets and sidewalks used wood as structural components, making Chicago extremely vulnerable to fire. Tragically, similar weather and building circumstances resulted in a fire in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, north of Chicago, just west of Lake Michigan’s Green Bay, with a death toll of 1,000.

What Were the Damage Totals from the Fire?

Regardless of the source of the Chicago Fire of 1871, the damage was catastrophic. When finally brought under control, the fire left devastation extending about four miles long and nearly a mile wide. The business district of the fledgling midwestern city was ruined, and many lives lost:

• 17,000 structures burned to destruction
• Damages estimated over 200 million dollars 
• At least 300 people died 
• 100,000 other people were left homeless

How Did Chicago Handle the Aftermath?

Although reconstruction efforts began quickly, the city initially suffered outbreaks of looting and lawlessness. Soldiers arrived, and Chicago was under martial law starting on October 11, 1871. Weeks later, martial law lifted, and economic development and population growth followed:

• Chicagoans elected Joseph Medill as mayor on a platform of stricter fire and building codes.
• Transportation systems and other infrastructure that remained provided the backbone of recovery.
• Architects looked upward while laying Chicago’s modern foundation, building the world’s first skyscrapers. 
• The population grew from 324,000 at the time of the fire to more than  500,000 in 10 years. 
• Checking 1890 data, Chicago was an important economic and transportation center of more than 1 million people, second only to New York City.
• Today’s Chicago Fire Department training academy sits on the O’Leary property site, where the Great Chicago Fire started.

Why Choose SERVPRO for Fire Devastation Recovery?

Residents of Chicago need fire damage restoration services delivered promptly and professionally. A steadfast commitment to training and equipping our workforce to provide mitigation, remediation, and restoration that meets or exceeds the industry’s best practice is why SERVPRO heads the list. Expect the following:

• Rapid and accurate safety and damage assessment
• Fully stocked service vehicles on the scene fast
• Scalable crews to begin emergency tasks immediately
• Effective research-driven interventions with proprietary cleaning and restoration products for outstanding results

A promise to support the needs of customers suffering from fire damage consequences is why SERVPRO of West Loop / Bucktown / Greektown strives to make it “Like it never even happened,” 365 days a year. Call (773) 434-9100 round the clock for expert help.