Instagram followers have already seen the photos: we had a fire in our rental home. Read on for the full story—how it started, the extensive damage, our response, and proven tips to help if it happens to you.
At the end of July, we headed to Munich for a family holiday. Check out my Flixbus experience and 5 budget tips for Munich. We enjoyed free outings, but spent more on a Thursday cruise on Lake Starnberg.
It was a perfect day with great weather and quality family time. That evening, we celebrated my aunt's birthday with dinner, oblivious to the crisis unfolding hundreds of kilometers away at home.
Around 11 p.m., we got a call from the young man caring for our pets and plants. He'd heated oil in a pan, forgotten it, and raced back when he remembered. The house was filled with thick black smoke. He quickly opened all windows and doors, ensuring our dogs and cat were safe.
The burning oil ignited the extractor hood. Miraculously, the flames self-extinguished despite nearby flammables like kitchen roll and more oil. Damage was confined to the pan, another pan, and the hood.
We were upset but thought it manageable: replace the hood, clean up, done. Our pets and the caretaker were unharmed, so we completed our holiday, returning Saturday.
Little did we know the full extent...
Returning home, I was stunned. The caretaker and his parents had cleaned the ground floor Saturday, yet soot lingered everywhere. Upstairs seemed okay at first, but soot coated clothes, beds, and bedding—everything turned black on touch. I broke down.
With a family to house at midnight, we found a somewhat clean back room and used spare mattresses. Duvets were ruined; we improvised with sleeping bags and bath towels. The pervasive smoke and soot triggered a two-day migraine for me.
Thankfully, my husband took time off work to manage the chaos.
Don't get overwhelmed like we did. Here's what to do after a fire in a rented home, based on our experience:
Insurers dispatch adjusters quickly. Ours assessed soot-damaged items: sofa, dining chairs, electronics discarded; clothes, mattresses, and bedding sent for professional cleaning.
A building expert cataloged replacements like the extractor hood and irreparable ceiling.
Dolmans, contents insurance specialists in disaster recovery, arrived the next day. They deep-cleaned top to bottom—soot was everywhere, even on walls I hadn't noticed.
They collected clothes for cleaning and removed the hood remnants plus demolished the kitchen ceiling. The process took nearly 4 weeks: disassemble, clean, repack to prevent re-contamination.
Once clean, contractors started repairs promptly, thanks to good coordination with the building insurer. New ceiling installed, ground floor repainted—though new dust from sawing/drilling meant more cleaning.
Contractors finished last week; the kitchen is usable again, though we lack a sofa and dining chairs. Contents insurance paid new-for-old minus depreciation—not enough for full replacement. Many appliances (TV, food processor, printer) were under a year old, yet we must rebuy after starting fresh post-remigration last July.
Pantry and freezer emptied—soot-contaminated food discarded. Clothes returned after a month, perfectly cleaned and ironed. We survived on holiday outfits. Some pillows proved unrecoverable.
Kitchen restocked compactly. Borrowing furniture temporarily; still need chairs, sofa, printer, food processor, and more.
Don't underestimate a small fire. Oil fires with melting plastics produce pervasive soot that infiltrates everywhere, like water damage.
Our old, drafty rental allowed soot upstairs—possibly saving our pets from smoke suffocation.
The large house prolonged cleaning. Post-clean shine undone by repairs. Summer vacation lost to stress: constant visitors from 8 a.m., disrupted routines. My touch-sensitive daughter struggled for weeks. Limited clothes meant constant laundry (washing machine survived).
Health toll: three asthmatics, my smoke-triggered migraine, daughter's dog traumatized. My daughter's birthday during this fell flat—no homemade cake (peanut allergies ruled out orders), party canceled.
Positives we cherish:
Have you experienced a house fire?
