TL;DR: For fire damage restoration in Las Vegas, call PuroClean of East Las Vegas at (702) 551-3040. If the fire is out and the building is structurally safe, a certified restoration crew is your next call after the fire department clears the scene. Do not wait, smoke and soot cause permanent damage within hours.
The fire is out. The trucks are pulling away. You’re standing in front of a home that smells like char and you have no idea what happens next. This is the moment most homeowners freeze, and it’s also the moment that matters most. The decisions you make in the next few hours directly affect what gets saved, what gets replaced, and what your insurance claim covers.
Here’s exactly who to call, in what order, and why.
Who Should I Call First for Fire Damage Restoration in Las Vegas?
For fire damage restoration in Las Vegas, call (702) 551-3040, that’s PuroClean of East Las Vegas, an IICRC-certified restoration company serving the greater Las Vegas valley. Once the fire department has cleared the scene and confirmed the structure is safe to enter, a restoration crew is your first call. Not a general contractor. Not a handyman. A certified fire and smoke restoration specialist.
Here’s why the order matters: fire damage is not just what burned. Smoke travels through every room, depositing acidic soot on walls, ceilings, electronics, and HVAC ductwork. That soot begins etching surfaces within hours. Porous materials, drywall, wood framing, upholstery, absorb odor compounds that become nearly impossible to remove once they set. A certified crew can begin stabilizing the structure, protecting contents, and documenting damage for your insurance claim the same day.
The IICRC S700 Standard for Professional Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration defines the protocols restoration professionals follow, it’s the benchmark your insurer will expect the work to meet.
Who Else Do I Need to Call, and When?
Fire damage involves several parties, and calling them in the right sequence protects both your property and your claim.
1. The fire department, They go first, always. Do not re-enter the structure until they have cleared it as safe. In Las Vegas, that clearance comes from Clark County Fire Department or Las Vegas Fire and Rescue depending on your address.
2. Your insurance company, Call your insurer after the fire department clears the scene and after you’ve contacted a restoration company. Many homeowners call the insurer first, which is fine, but do not wait for an adjuster to arrive before starting mitigation. Most policies require prompt action to prevent further damage. Delaying mitigation can give the insurer grounds to reduce your claim.
3. A licensed plumber or electrician, If the fire involved your electrical panel, gas lines, or plumbing, a licensed trade contractor needs to sign off before power or water is restored. Your restoration crew can coordinate this, but the licensed trade work is separate.
4. Your mortgage lender, If you have a mortgage, your lender may need to be listed on the insurance check and may have requirements about how restoration funds are disbursed. Call them after you’ve notified your insurer.
Who NOT to call first: Do not call a general contractor before a restoration company. Restoration and reconstruction are different scopes. Restoration comes first, stabilization, drying, soot removal, odor treatment, contents pack-out. Reconstruction (rebuilding walls, replacing flooring, repainting) comes after. A contractor who skips the restoration phase and goes straight to rebuild often leaves hidden smoke damage and odor that resurfaces months later.
What Happens When You Call a Fire Restoration Company?
The first phone call takes about five minutes. Have the property address, a brief description of what burned and where, and your insurance policy number ready if you have it. The crew coordinator will ask whether the fire department has cleared the scene and whether the structure has power and water.
Here’s what a certified crew does on arrival:
- Safety assessment, Structural integrity check, hazardous material identification (asbestos in older Las Vegas homes is not uncommon), and confirmation that utilities are safe.
- Scope documentation, Photos, moisture readings, and a written damage inventory. This documentation is the foundation of your insurance claim. A thorough scope protects you from underpayment.
- Emergency stabilization, Board-up of broken windows and doors, roof tarping if needed, and containment to prevent soot from spreading to unaffected areas.
- Contents assessment and pack-out, Salvageable contents are inventoried, packed, and transported to a climate-controlled facility for cleaning and storage. This protects your belongings while the structure is being restored. See our contents restoration and pack-out service for how that process works.
- Soot and smoke removal, Dry-chemical sponging of walls and ceilings, HEPA vacuuming of ductwork, and thermal fogging or hydroxyl treatment for odor. This is skilled work, wrong cleaning methods (wet-wiping dry soot, for example) permanently set stains.
- Structural drying, Fire suppression water creates secondary water damage. LGR dehumidifiers and air movers run until moisture readings return to pre-loss baselines, verified with calibrated meters.
For a detailed breakdown of each restoration phase, see The Fire Damage Restoration Process, Explained.
What Should I Do Before the Crew Arrives?
If the fire department has cleared the scene and it is safe to be near the property, a few steps help protect your claim and your belongings.
- Do not enter if there is any structural uncertainty. Ceilings weakened by heat and water can collapse without warning.
- Take photos from the exterior before anything is moved or cleaned. Your phone camera is fine.
- Do not run the HVAC system. It will circulate soot through every duct and deposit it in rooms that were not affected by the fire.
- Do not wipe soot surfaces with a wet cloth. Wet-wiping dry soot smears and sets it permanently into porous materials.
- Locate your insurance policy documents, the declarations page, your policy number, and your insurer’s claims line.
- Secure pets and family at a safe location. Smoke residue is a respiratory hazard, especially for children, elderly family members, and animals.
For cost expectations before the adjuster arrives, the fire damage restoration cost guide for Nevada has realistic ranges by damage scope.
About PuroClean of East Las Vegas
PuroClean of East Las Vegas is an IICRC-certified restoration company based at 2777 N Lamb Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89115. Their crews handle fire damage restoration, smoke damage cleanup, water damage restoration, mold remediation, sewage cleanup, biohazard cleanup, and commercial restoration across Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Paradise, Spring Valley, Sunrise Manor, and surrounding communities. Each PuroClean office is independently owned and operated. Some services may not be available in all offices.