Cleaners called to scene after the police leave

JEFFREY GOLD
Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J. - No one really wants to see Timothy Carroll and his crew at their doorstep. But when he's needed, he helps grieving family members with a cleanup task they'd rather not even think about.

When someone is murdered or commits suicide at home, family members or friends are responsible for cleaning up. Carroll's Newark company, Tragic Solutions, specializes in removing the human residue after a death or shooting.

"That's almost as tragic as losing a person," said Carroll, who witnessed hundreds of grisly scenes while a detective with the Morris County sheriff's department. He founded Tragic Solutions two years ago with Tom Rohling, another retiree from the department.

Carroll and other operators say business is booming, despite only slight increases in murder and suicide rates, with dozens of companies forming over the past decade. They attribute the industry's growth to concerns over contracting diseases such as AIDS or hepatitis.

"Twenty years ago, AIDS was in its infancy, so it was never thought of," Carroll said. "You could pretty much go in with bleach and a sponge and clean it up. But with the diseases out there today, you want a professional who knows what they're doing."

He and his crews wear protective outfits made of a puncture-resistant material also used in building construction, along with gloves, boots, masks and occasionally, breathing equipment.

"I look like the Pillsbury Doughboy in my Tyvek suit. As far as I'm concerned, everyone has everything," said Carroll, 39.

He urges families to check for credentials that show cleaning company workers are insured and have permits to handle and transport medical waste to a licensed incinerator.

The cost, a minimum of $500 for Tragic Solutions, is generally covered by homeowner's insurance. Motels and other businesses that use the service usually pay out of pocket, Carroll said.

Tragic Solutions rely on a core of about four full-time employees, augmented by part-timers.

Unattended deaths, whether from natural causes or accident, appear to account for about half of the jobs, with suicides and then murders accounting for most of the rest.