FIRE DAMAGE: 25 PIANOS

[Guy, Karen, and Tor Nichols]

Marcel,
	The fire marshal or his people SHOULD be able to give you a relatively
accurate estimate of what the actual temperatures were. Give that info to
Yamaha, and see what they say. 
	I wouldn't want to be in the position of having to make a quick estimate.
Better to not make one at all.
	Talk to Kent Webb about major smoke damage. Baldwin had an experience a
few years ago that taught them alot.  kent_webb@BPAO.com  , or
1-800-876-2976 ext.8585
	Talk to the insurance people first, before putting numbers on paper. Maybe
the university lawyer, also.
	Sounds like a Yomama-exclusive school..... were any of them loaners?


Tough gig, man.

Guy Nichols, RPT



At 05:55 PM 10/29/97 -0700, you wrote:
>Just as I came back from doing house calls today, I had a very disturbing
>message on my answering machine. There was a fire just downstairs from the
>music department at the university where I just had finished tuning all 27
>pianos during the fall break.
>
>I have to go and evaluate the dammages tomorrow morning. From what I was
>told, there was only smoke... but I suspect heat as well. There are about 20
>UF-1, 2 disklavier (G-2) 1 C-3 and 2 C6-F.
>
>What scares the hell out of me is _NOT_ knowing what are the long term
>effect of smoke on strings and Electronics components of the disklaviers.
>Have any of you been confronted with such a situation? Should I just quote
>an estimate for cleaning and tuning (I suspect the heat will have trown my
>tunings out), or should I leave a doubt in my estimate as far as the long
>term problems that could develop in the years to come. I think mainly of
>soundboard integrity; can the heat affect the glue joints? Is there a way to
>find out at this stage or will I just have to wait and then after all the
>insurance claims are over, in 2 or 3 years come back to them and then admit
>that I was wrong and that the pianos all need new soundboards.
>
>Please, I need feedback.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Marcel Carey, RPT 
>
>
>