Fire Damage Data Recovery
House fire? Office fire? Wildfire? The plastic melts, the enclosure warps, but the data on the platters often survives. We recover hard drives from fire and smoke damage in our Austin lab.
Burned Does Not Mean Gone
Hard drive platters are metal discs that can survive temperatures far beyond what melts the plastic enclosure. If your drive looks destroyed but the platters are intact, recovery is possible. Do not throw it away.
Call to discuss your situation
What Fire Does to a Hard Drive
A hard drive has several components that respond differently to heat:
- The enclosure (plastic or aluminum) melts or warps at relatively low temperatures. A melted case looks catastrophic but does not necessarily mean the data is lost.
- The PCB (circuit board) contains chips that can be damaged by heat. Burned components need to be replaced or bypassed using donor parts.
- The read/write heads are delicate and can be damaged by heat or smoke infiltration through the breather hole.
- The platters are metal discs that store data magnetically. They can survive high temperatures, but if they warp or the magnetic coating is damaged, recovery becomes difficult or impossible.
The outcome depends on where the drive was during the fire, how hot it got, and for how long. A drive in a desk drawer may be completely recoverable even if the room was destroyed.
Types of Fire Damage We Handle
Direct Fire Exposure
The drive was in or near flames. Enclosure is melted or charred. Recovery depends on whether the platters survived intact.
We open the drive in a clean environment, assess platter condition, and transplant to a donor enclosure if viable.
Smoke Damage
The drive was in a smoky environment but did not burn. Smoke particulates may have infiltrated the enclosure through the breather hole.
Contaminated heads cause read errors. We clean or replace heads and image the drive in a clean environment.
Heat Exposure
The drive was near the fire but did not catch fire. High ambient heat can damage electronics and potentially warp platters.
PCB components may be heat-damaged even without visible burns. We test and replace damaged components.
Fire + Water Damage
Fire suppression systems often add water damage to fire damage. The drive may have both heat damage and water infiltration.
Combined damage cases require both cleaning protocols. See our water damage recovery page for water-specific guidance.
What To Do With a Fire-Damaged Drive
Do not power it on
A fire-damaged drive may have short circuits, contaminated heads, or a warped enclosure. Powering it on can cause the heads to crash into the platters or burn out remaining functional components.
Do not attempt to clean it yourself
Soot and smoke residue require proper cleaning in a controlled environment. Wiping or brushing can push contaminants further into the drive or scratch the platters.
Package carefully and ship
Wrap the drive in anti-static material if available, or at minimum a clean cloth. Place in a padded box. The enclosure may be fragile or partially melted; do not force it into tight packaging.
Include information about the fire
Tell us where the drive was located, how long the fire burned, and whether the drive was exposed to water from firefighting. This helps us plan the recovery approach.
Pricing
Fire damage recovery pricing depends on what survived and what needs repair. Evaluation is always free.
PCB Damage Only
$300 - $800
Platters and heads are fine; only the circuit board needs repair or replacement.
Head Swap Required
$800 - $1,500
Smoke-contaminated or heat-damaged heads require replacement from a compatible donor drive.
Platter Transplant
$1,200 - $2,000+
Enclosure is destroyed but platters survived. Platters are moved to a donor drive assembly.
Evaluation
Free
We assess the damage and provide a firm quote. If recovery is not possible, you pay nothing.
Frequently Asked Questions
My drive enclosure is melted. Is the data gone?
The drive was in a smoky room but did not burn. Is it damaged?
What about SSDs in a fire?
How much does fire damage recovery cost?
Can you provide documentation for insurance claims?
Our server room had a fire. Can you recover a RAID array?
Fire-damaged drive? We can help.
Do not throw it away. The data may be recoverable. Free evaluation. No data, no charge.