Situation
Crime scene cleanup in Providence
After a homicide, an assault or a violent break-in, the police control the scene first. Once they release it, an independent cleanup company can remove what was contaminated and make the rooms safe to use.
Answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Before anyone cleans
Nothing should be cleaned or thrown away until the police say the home is released. Items that look ruined may still be evidence. If you are not sure whether the scene is released, ask the officer in charge, or call the Providence Police non-emergency number, 401-272-3121 (Providence Police).
Ask for the police report number. The compensation program and insurers both ask for it.
Take photos of the damage if you can do so without going into the room. If you cannot face it, the cleanup company can usually photograph the space before work starts. Ask them to.
The work
What crime scene cleanup usually involves
A walk-through
The company looks at how far blood or fluids reached, including under carpet, into gaps between floorboards and behind baseboards.
Removal
Soaked carpet, padding, upholstery, mattresses and sometimes sections of floor or wall are cut out and bagged as biohazard waste.
Cleaning and disinfection
Hard surfaces that can be saved are cleaned and treated with a disinfectant suited to blood.
Odor and a final check
The company should show you the finished room, or send photos, before you sign off.
Victim compensation in Rhode Island
Rhode Island's Crime Victim Compensation Program lists crime scene cleaning among the expenses it reimburses. Victims of violent crime may apply, and so may dependents and immediate family members of homicide victims. The crime has to be reported to police within 15 days, and the claim filed within three years.
The program pays only what insurance or other sources do not cover, so ask your insurer as well. You do not need a lawyer to apply. Crime Victim Compensation Program, Office of the General Treasurer: (401) 462-7655 (program page).
More on paying, including insurance and landlords, is in Who pays for the cleanup.
Questions worth asking the company
- What will you remove, and what can be cleaned and kept?
- How do you bag the waste, and where does it go?
- How do you work out the price, and will I get it in writing before you start?
- Will you give me an itemized invoice I can send to the compensation program or my insurer?
- Is the work insured, and who on your side do I talk to while it is going on?
When you are ready, one call is enough
You will speak with an independent biohazard cleanup company that works around Providence. Say what happened in your own words, ask what they would do and how they price it, then decide. Nothing is agreed until you say yes.
Speak with an independent cleanup company
Call (401) 498-1593Answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Calls may be recorded. More in the referral disclosure and privacy policy pages.