Tag Archives: Property Damage

by | June 12, 2013 · 7:24 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Virginia Motel Suffers “Water Damage” To 24 Of 34 Rooms After Torrential Rainfall; Flood Insurance Will Cover Drywall, Paint And Carpeting Repairs

“…the motel owner said she faced a similar situation just 18 months ago. The flooding in September 2011 was even worse, she said, when the Hotel and Motel Flood Risksmotel rooms got more than three-feet of water. Patel said it was more like 2.5 feet this time…  Fortunately, she and her husband – who purchased the motel in 1978 – have flood insurance as 2011 damages totaled $120,000 including new carpet, paint, linens, drywall and more…”

The town of Culpeper continued to dry out Tuesday following torrential rainfall that dumped 5.5 inches of rain in four hours early Monday, sparking flash floods that displaced some 50 residents from an area motel.

Over at Sleepy Hollow Motel on Bus. 29, owner Urmila Patel, of Culpeper, frowned deeply at the massive clean-up ahead of her to 24 of the 34 motel rooms that sustained water damage when the banks of nearby Mountain Run ran over after midnight Monday.

Furniture, TVs, and mattresses from the rooms sat neatly stacked in the parking lot of the motel Tuesday as she waited for the insurance adjuster to arrive to assess damages. Piles of clothes left behind included a toddler’s shirt while discarded food items consisted of bags of bread, pizza boxes, soda cans and milk, evidence of recent occupancy.

For more:  http://www.dailyprogress.com/starexponent/news/local_news/sleepy-hollow-motel-dries-out-owner-says-she-will-reopen/article_3cf4c25a-d2cd-11e2-8196-0019bb30f31a.html

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by | June 9, 2013 · 6:35 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Ohio Restaurant Fire Starts In “Kitchen Fryer” And Heavily Damages Structure; “Advanced Fire In Building’s Center” Limits Firefighters To Defensive Action

“….an employee saw smoke at a fryer as he was walking through the kitchen, preparing to make a Restaurant Fire Risksdelivery…he and the two other employees cut off power to the fryer and tried to use a fire extinguisher “but it only got worse…(there was no) way of getting it stopped…”

A fire Friday afternoon that heavily damaged a popular Irish pub and restaurant, as well as a catering business, started in a kitchen fryer. That’s the preliminary assessment from Springfield Fire Rescue Division Chief Nick Heimlich, who kept firefighters on the scene at McMurray’s Irish Pub, Paddy’s Backdoor Pizza and Carmae Catering, all housed at 122 E. College Ave., on Friday night.

Heimlich said firefighters found “an advanced fire” in the center of the structure and noted that the progression of the fire was very rapid. Because the three businesses are connected and under one roof “a problem in one pretty quickly becomes a problem in the others,” the chief said.

When the decision was made to pull back and take a defensive posture in battling the flames because crews weren’t making the kind of progress they wanted in putting out the fire, Heimlich said, “basically that means for the most part the structure is a loss.”

For more:  http://www.whiotv.com/news/news/local/mcmurrays-popular-springfield-pub-is-on-fire/nYFfP/

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by | May 29, 2013 · 6:25 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Michigan Restaurant “Electrical Fire” Spreads Throughout Ceiling Area, Causing $400,000 In Damage

“…the fire started above the ceiling, in the attic space, (where) there is some wiring in that immediate area…one of the employees could hear some crackling above the ceiling…the fire began in an area right above Restaurant Firethe entrance to the restaurant. Firefighters had to break into the ceiling of the 5,500-square-foot restaurant to put out the blaze…”

Investigators say an electrical fire caused about $400,000 in damage to a popular Clinton Township restaurant Tuesday night. The fire broke out at J. Baldwin’s Restaurant & To-Go location at 16981 Eighteen Mile Road at about 9:54 p.m., Clinton Township Fire Chief Jack Shea said today.

The main fire was under control in 20 minutes, but it took another couple of hours to put out small fires that had extended elsewhere in the building, Shea said. Firefighters cleared the scene at around 12:30 p.m.

The restaurant is open until 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, according to the company’s website. Shea said there were people at the establishment, but it was about to close. No one was injured in the blaze.

For more:  http://www.freep.com/article/20130529/NEWS04/305290076/j-baldwins-fire-restaurant-clinton

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by | May 19, 2013 · 7:27 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Ohio Restaurant Fire Caused By “Outside Propane Smoker Being Too Close To Wall”; Building A “Complete Loss” Estimated At $300,000

“…the fire chief (stated that) a restaurant cook was outside smoking prime rib when a propane fire got too close to the building…The building was Restaurant Firebuilt to code (but) it’s just the nature of the beast…they had a lot of fire moving fast, and it was hard to get to because it was under the roof, and the roof keeps water out like it is supposed to…firefighters said the building is a complete loss, about $300,000…”

A fire in North Ridgeville destroyed a local restaurant Saturday. It happened around 3 p.m. at the Black Dog Pub and Eatery on Sugar Ridge Road. Because of the disaster, the building couldn’t be saved. Crews had to demolish it. Crews with the North Ridgeville Fire Department said it was an accidental fire.

The owner of the restaurant, who didn’t want to be identified, was heartbroken as she looked on while several different agencies sprayed down the building.

“She just put a lot of money into the floors. She just remodeled the place you know. She was doing really good on business. Everything was going great,” said Xevier Neider, who was a chef at Black Dog. “It’s sad that she did a lot here, for it to just go up like that.”

For more:  http://fox8.com/2013/05/18/local-restaurant-catches-fire-with-patrons-inside/

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by | May 11, 2013 · 6:27 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: California Hotel Exterior Facade Collapses Damaging Electrical System And Sprinklers, Flooding Three Floors

Hotel Property Damage“…the façade tore down sprinkler lines, sending water rushing into some of the rooms. Three floors flooded, damaging the electrical system. Officials say city engineers will be evaluating the building’s structural integrity…”

Work crews will be busy Friday cleaning up the damage left behind after part of a local hotel building collapses. Some guests at the Hampton Inn on Greenwood Street were evacuated overnight, after the hotel’s facade suddenly collapsed.

Pieces littered the ground with debris, making a mess on the north side of the building. People staying at the hotel said they heard a loud noise, grabbed their stuff and got out.

Guests were either moved to other rooms, or sent to other Hampton Inn locations.

No word what caused the collapse.

For more:  http://www.cbs8.com/story/22216647/guests-evacuated-after-hotel-facade-suddenly-collapses

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by | May 7, 2013 · 6:18 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: New Jersey Restaurant Fire Started With “Motor On Top Of Walk-In Cooler”; Floor Collapses And Dining Room Destroyed By Smoke Damage

“…the preliminary investigation indicates the fire might have started with a motor on top of a walk in cooler but this is still under Restaurant Fireinvestigation…the outside structure is still standing but the bar fell into the basement and the dining room was destroyed by smoke damage…”

The Ridgewod Restaurant was severely damaged in an early morning fire, police said. Firefighters and police were called to the restaurant on Brooklyn Stanhope Road at 2:23 a.m. on Saturday by the owners, who said that they had left the business after closing to go out and when they returned they found smoke cinside, according to Lt. Thomas Kmetz, a police department spokesman.

Police arrived to find kitchen door was hot to the touch and they could heard popping noises coming from inside, Kmetz said. The fire department arrived on the scene and found that there was smoke coming out of every possible area of the building that it could get out of, Kmetz said.

Firefighters extinguished the fire but the middle floor where the bar used to be collapsed into the basement and the dining room was destroyed by smoke damage, Kmetz said.

The Hopatcong, Roxbury, Netcong, Mount Arlington and Stanhope fire departments all responded to the blaze.  The restaurant specializes in Portugese and Italian cuisine.

For more:  http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20130506/NJNEWS/305060057/Hopatcong-restaurant-severely-damaged-fire

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by | May 4, 2013 · 6:25 am

Hospitality Industry Insurance Risks: Hotels Must Purchase “Additional Terrorism Clause” To Have Losses Covered When Government Classifies Bombing Incidents “Acts Of Terror”

“…(after September 11 attacks) “acts of terror”  were excluded from (regular insurance) policies. They made it an optional add-on that businesses Acts of Terror Insurance Coveragehad to purchase separately to have damage covered that resulted from officially declared acts of terrorism, meaning the government’s categorization of the incident will determine who pays for what…”

The hotels located on or near Boylston Street are still trying to get their feet back under them after the tragedy in Boston, reeling from the lack of business associated with the incident’s aftermath. Hotels are looking to their insurance companies to cover their losses, but, interestingly enough, the payout depends upon whether or not the government officially declares the marathon bombings an “act of terror.”

 According to ABC News, President Obama called the bombings an “act of terror,” but the treasury secretary, attorney general, and secretary of state have yet to speak on the designation, and have set no time frame in which to do so.

“If there is no terror finding, damages would be covered in general under regular property-and-casualty policies,” Robert Hartwig, president of the trade group Insurance Information Institute, told ABC News. If it’s declared an “act of terror,” however, only those who purchased the additional terrorism clause would have their losses covered by insurance.

For more:  http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2013/5/2/114339/2751/hotels/%22Terrorism_Insurance%22_a_Hot_Debate_as_Boston_Hotels_Still_Struggle_

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by | May 2, 2013 · 5:28 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Michigan Restaurant Electrical Fire Caused By “Kitchen Materials Improperly Stored”; Heat Causes Pipes To Burst And Extensive Water Damage

“…the cause was improper storage of materials from the kitchen in an area not intended for storage…the heat caused pipes to burst, so there is Restaurant Firewater and smoke damage to the entire building…Normally the cleanup contractors can get things cleaned up if they can get in there right away, but the major issue will be damage to the electrical system…”

An early morning electrical fire has closed Culver’s restaurant on 9th street for at least a few weeks, general manager Jennie Atteberry said Tuesday morning. Texas Township fire chief Mike Corfman said his department was dispatched at 4:32 a.m. Tuesday when a delivery man noticed a haze at the  restaurant and  called 911.

When firefighters arrived they found heavy smoke coming from the utility room, he said.

It took only 10 minutes to put out the fire, which was contained to the utility room. There were no injuries in the fire.

For more:  http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/04/electrical_fire_closes_culvert.html

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by | April 28, 2013 · 3:29 pm

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Texas Restaurant Is A “Total Loss” After Kitchen Fire Destroys Building; “Old Structure” Was Not Insured

“…No one was injured but the Yum Yums building was a total loss…it was not insured. Fire officials believe the fire sparked in Restaurant Firethe restaurant’s kitchen downstairs, but the exact cause is unknown. The structure is unsafe for fire investigators to go inside, so the department will not be able to determine an exact cause…”

Three people were uninjured following an early morning fire at a downtown Jacksonville restaurant Sunday. At 12:12 a.m., a man who lived in an apartment above Yum Yums Restaurant and Bakery, in the 200 block of South Main Street, woke up to an explosion sound and ran downstairs, said Jacksonville Fire Chief Paul White.

The structure fire was located about a block from the fire station, and firefighters arrived on scene at 12:13 a.m., White said. There was fire at the back of the building and heavy smoke in the front when firefighters arrived, he said. Flames were soon shooting from the roof and out windows.

The fire quickly consumed the old structure, making it unsafe for crews to be the inside the building. Five ladder trucks from numerous departments were on scene to help, White said.

“It was a big fire, and the ladder trucks saved the day,” White said. “It as too dangerous to go inside so it was basically a defensive fire. (firefighters) basically put a lot of water on it.”

For more:  http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20130428/NEWS01/130429754

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by | April 24, 2013 · 6:55 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Illinois Restaurant Limits Floodwater Damage Through Installation Of “Special Flood Prevention Equipment”; $700,000 Cleanup Costs In 2008 Lowered To Under $1000 In 2013

“…special flood prevention equipment (was installed) at the McDonald’s after the 2008 flooding; including shutoff valves for the sewer lines, and Restaurant Flood Risksrubberized door dams… only about a half an inch seepage (from this flood) in the building through penetrations in pipes, and stuff like that, unlike 2008, (when there was) 27 inches…(the owner estimated there was) as much as $700,000 on cleanup from the 2008 flood, but only several hundred dollars this year…”

Two eateries next door to each other in northwest suburban River Grove were in very different stages of cleanup on Tuesday, as flood waters from the Des Plaines River slowly receded. WBBM Newsradio’s Bernie Tafoya reports, next door at the famous Gene and Jude’s Red Hot Stand, a big flood cleanup was underway on Tuesday. Workers were seen donning respirators while cleaning up inside on Tuesday, and tossing out flood-damaged debris, while the McDonald’s next door was getting ready to open for business.

It’s not that the flooding wasn’t as bad at the McDonald’s, it was the result inside the two restaurants.

“It’s money well-invested,” Karayanes said.

For more:  http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/04/23/a-tale-of-two-restaurants-flood-damage-varies-depending-on-preparations/

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