Segregate and assess goods and equipment after a fire

Segregate lots exposed to smoke or heat. Decide on product acceptance and equipment reuse under authorised procedures.

7 March 2025Updated 23 September 2026

Short answer

Inspect only after authorised personnel declare the area safe. Segregate goods suspected of smoke, soot or extinguishing-chemical exposure and preserve batch and incident records. US consumer wildfire guidance warns smoke and chemicals can penetrate packaging and a closed refrigerator is not airtight. It is not a commercial lot-disposition rule; follow quality procedures.

After a fire, protect people first and wait until authorised responders release the area. Do not decide on goods or equipment by smell or appearance.

Segregate affected items

Move pallets and carriers suspected of smoke, heat, extinguishing-water or contact exposure to a designated area. Record batch, location and incident time; prevent mixing.

Preserve evidence. Keep photos, incident report, batch labels, logger data and suppression details. Follow insurance and quality record steps before cleaning or moving items.

Leave product decisions to authorised staff

Intact-looking packaging is not proof of safety. Quality staff should decide under product procedures and, where needed, authorised laboratory assessment.