Annacis Island Smoke Damage Remediation
Large-Scale Metal Surface Cleaning — Delta, BC
A major fire broke out at Ideal Welding, located on Annacis Island in Delta. The incident escalated into a three-alarm fire, with more than 50 firefighters working throughout the night to bring the blaze under control.
The building where the fire originated sustained severe structural damage and was later demolished for public safety reasons. However, while the fire was active, heavy smoke spread into an adjacent industrial building, contaminating interior metal cladding and exposed steel structure with thick smoke staining.
Extensive Smoke Contamination Across Adjacent Facility
Although flames did not reach the neighbouring building, smoke damage was widespread. Soot and smoke residue adhered to painted metal surfaces across a massive interior footprint, creating both visual staining and persistent odor concerns.
The affected areas included:
Painted metal wall cladding
Structural steel columns and beams
High and hard-to-reach interior surfaces
Large uninterrupted industrial wall sections
Because the underlying paint systems were still in good condition, full removal and repainting would have been unnecessarily costly.
Precision Media Blasting Approach
Ocean Pacific Media Blasting was awarded the remediation contract with a very specific objective: remove all smoke staining without damaging or stripping the existing paint system beneath.
This required a controlled, low-impact media blasting approach tailored to painted metal surfaces. The project ultimately involved cleaning over 200,000 square feet of metal while preserving the original protective coatings.
Key requirements of the project included:
Gentle removal of smoke residue only
No exposure of bare metal
No surface over-profiling
Consistent results across large surface areas
Efficient Execution and Surface Preparation
Ocean Pacific crews completed the smoke stain removal in 10 days, working systematically to ensure uniform cleaning across the entire structure. Once blasting was complete, an additional three days were dedicated to vacuum sweeping and final surface preparation.
This step ensured the metal was fully clean, residue-free, and ready for painters to proceed without delays or additional prep work.
Significant Cost Savings for the Property Owner
By preserving the existing paint system and avoiding full stripping to bare metal, the project delivered substantial cost savings. The delicate removal process eliminated the need for extensive priming and recoating, saving the property owner tens of thousands of dollars in materials and labour.
The result was a clean, smoke-free interior, fully prepared for repainting where required, and restored without unnecessary demolition or replacement.
This project demonstrates how experienced abrasive blasting can provide exceptional value—achieving complete smoke remediation while protecting existing finishes and minimizing overall restoration costs.
Have questions about a project or ready to get started?
“Saleem is a very safe, dedicated, conscientious, and talented worker in this field.
-Greg Cruickshank
Project Brief
Controlled media blasting removed smoke staining from painted metal, preserving coatings and reducing restoration costs.
Client Name
Ideal Welding
Category
Abrasive Blasting
Location
Delta, BC, Canada
Social Links
Check out our Youtube channel