Around midnight, a man walked into a supermarket to complain of burning smell. No flames could be seen at the time, but by the next morning a multi-story local mall adjacent to the supermarket was on fire. The building burned for twenty-four hours before the fire was put out. By then, the mall building and contents had suffered significant damage. What remained of the mall was little more than the concrete structure, later claimed by the mall owner to be structurally unsound as a consequence of the extensive heat. A claim for full replacement of the building was filed with the insurers.
Expert Involvement
CEERISK was instructed to investigate the nature and extent of the damage that the building structure sustained during the fire, and to determine what reinstatement options were necessary and more importantly, related to the insured loss.
Our engineers went out to the site of the loss and visually inspected the burned building. Close examination of the structure was carried out and photographs were taken to document the condition of the exposed concrete.
Initial close visual examination of the concrete revealed no signs of exposed steel bars or other conditions that would give rise to serious concerns about the integrity of the structure.
To ensure accurate assessment of the building, further investigation was necessary. Sections of the concrete structure were cored out and sent to a certified laboratory for further testing.
Bridging the Gap
Upon the return of the laboratory test results, CEERISK experts applied their in-depth knowledge about the effects of fire and heat on concrete to determine the state of the building's structural integrity.
Through thorough testing and analysis, it was found that in some parts of the building, evidence of damage caused by intense heat was present. However, despite this, the concrete slabs and pillars have maintained their original dimensions and were not damaged beyond repair.
CEERISK experts concluded that repair of the concrete slabs could not be ruled out as a viable reinstatement option, despite the severity of the damage inflicted on the building.