River Arts District studios, downtown Asheville’s dense restaurant commercial, and Mission Hospital concentrate fire risk in creative-space commercial, one of the Southeast’s densest restaurant districts, and healthcare facilities.
Smoke damage in Buncombe County commercial buildings follows the HVAC system — a kitchen fire that seems contained to one tenant space produces smoke that travels through shared ductwork into adjacent spaces, guest rooms above, and common areas throughout the building. The fire department addresses the fire; the smoke migration is what creates the commercial claim. Every surface in the smoke path requires assessment — some need cleaning, some need sealing, some need replacement. The difference between a $50,000 fire claim and a $500,000 fire claim is usually the smoke, not the flames.