I have followed the brief discussion about smoke damage and future
corrosion on pianos.  With some reluctance, I submit the following.

22 years ago there was a fire in my mother's apartment in which she
lost her life.  The actual fire damage was not as great as expected
although it did burn through the living room floor.  However, the air
became superheated and melted many plastic items and thoroughly
saturated any porous materials with gaseous and particulate material.

My mother had a Sohmer 5'6" grand piano about three years old in the
living room.  It was scorched on one side but otherwise seemed little
damaged.  I had this piano sent to a local dealer for "restoration".
I am not sure what all the dealer did at the time but they put the
piano into good usable condition.  I then donated it to our church.

For nearly five years there remained a smoky smell about the piano
which after that was no longer noticeable.  I have looked at the piano
many times over the years as we sing in the church choir and use the
piano for rehearsals.  There was NO evidence of any corrosion as of
last November which is the last time I was actually inside the
instrument.

To my knowledge, no felts or soft parts were replaced and the piano was
not placed in an "ozone" room.  I would think, as noted by an earlier
respondent, that it probably depends on exactly what materials were
burned, as to the nature of the smoke produced, whether any corrosive
material results.

Bob Conant
Endicott, NY