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Biohazard and crime scene cleanup referrals ยท Greenville, North Carolina and nearby Pitt County towns

When someone was not found right away

Unattended death cleanup in Greenville

When a person dies alone and is found days or weeks later, the room needs more than cleaning. Fluids reach the floor below and the odor spreads. This is work for a cleanup company, not for family.

Call (252) 555-0107

Phone answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

An empty bedroom with bare subfloor where carpet was removed, lit by a window with pines outside
Illustration. Not a real job or address.

What happens first

  1. Call 911

    Police and the county medical examiner are notified when a death is unexpected or no doctor was present (G.S. 130A-383).

  2. The medical examiner takes over

    The person is taken for examination. For Pitt County, the state's family guide lists the ECU Brody School of Medicine center at (252) 744-4655.

  3. Choose a funeral home

    Tell the autopsy center which funeral home or crematory you chose. The center helps arrange the transfer. Personal items are inventoried and passed to the funeral home unless police keep them.

  4. Then the home

    Once the home is released, keep the door shut and call a cleanup company.

Odor, flooring and the room below

After a few days, fluids can soak through carpet and pad into the subfloor, and sometimes into the ceiling of a room below. Air fresheners and ordinary cleaners do not fix that. A cleanup company removes the affected materials, treats what stays and works on the odor until it is gone.

Ask them to check how far the damage reaches before they give you a price, and to tell you if they find more once flooring is up.

Plastic sheeting with a zip door sealing off a doorway inside an older house

Tell the company what to set aside

Families often need these later. Say so before work starts.

  • Wallet, phone, keys and any ID
  • Bank statements, bills, a will or other papers
  • Photos, letters and anything sentimental
  • Jewelry, cash and medications
Should I open the windows?

Only if you can do it without walking through the affected room. It is safer to keep that door shut and let the cleanup company handle ventilation.

The person rented. Who arranges the cleanup?

Tell the landlord or property manager right away. Often the landlord arranges it; the landlord guide explains why.

Other situations

When you are ready, one call is enough

Say what happened and where. If the police or the medical examiner are still there, say so; the company will plan around their release. Nothing starts until you agree to it.

Talk to a cleanup company

Call (252) 555-0107

Phone answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Calls may be recorded. Read the referral disclosure and the privacy policy.

Call (252) 555-0107