Restoration From Fire at Albany SamFit Continues January 6, 2023 Fire restoration work is ongoing at Albany SamFit with the hope of reopening the facility by late spring. The late September fire, which started in the area of the women’s sauna, caused heavy smoke damage throughout the facility. Fortunately, double fire doors accessing the locker room contained the blaze to inside the room. However, smoke from the fire seeped throughout the interior walls and ventilation system, permeating carpets, drywall and other porous surfaces. “When the fire started in the locker room, the HVAC system pulled out that air pushing the smoke through the air exchange into every area of the facility,” said Alyssa Wink, director of Wellness and Fitness for SamFit. “The fire could have been worse if not for our onsite staff’s quick reactions along with the quick response by Albany Fire Department and Samaritan’s Emergency Management team.” The fire gutted the women’s locker room which has now been torn down to its studs in preparation for a rebuild. Currently Albany’s PuroClean, an emergency and property restoration service, is finishing the removal of smoke-damaged material from the facility. The next step in the process will be the removal of all the exercise equipment for professional cleaning, as well. “The smoke damage is the secondary issue that’s actually making this more time consuming,” said Wink.
