High School – South Houston, TX

A high school located south of Houston experienced a devastating fire in its auditorium and main corridors. During a rehearsal, a fire was accidentally started in a trash receptacle in the auditorium.

The fire spread from the trash receptacle to the auditorium damaging the seats, carpets, plaster walls, ceiling, stage curtains, theatrical production area, as well as the IT, lighting, and sound control room. It took five city municipal fire departments to extinguish the fire. There was significant fire, smoke, and water damage throughout the auditorium and the adjacent hallways.

TGC was called to the scene in the middle of the night and was able to assess the damage and create a plan within hours of the event. The auditorium needed to be fully gutted: walls, seats, carpets, stage curtains and rigging, and backstage props were removed. The hardwood stage and performing area buckled as a result of the water damage, however through specialty drying techniques TGC was able to save the stage from having to be replaced.

TGC was able to salvage the seats and have them refurbished and recovered. TGC deodorized the smoke damaged hallways and hand cleaned the surfaces. The inside of the HVAC system was cleaned to remove the smoke odor and particulates. TGC worked 24-hours a day during the emergency clean up and restoration and was able to restore the hallways to regular facility use within two school days.

Upon completion of the mitigation, TGC rebuilt the auditorium including the installation of the seats, flooring, walls, stage rigging and lighting, audio speakers and sound control, ceiling panels and backstage area.