CDI-108 FIRE TECHNOLOGY AND ARSON INVESTIGATION MAIN TOPIC 6

THE ORIGIN OF FIRE
➢ One of the first things to look for is the origin of the fire.
Usually, accidental fires have only one origin; sometimes
an arson fire will have several origins. That is, there will
be two or more fires.
➢ Normally, a fire burns outward laterally in all directions,
the heat generated moves up, and fires seldom burns
down.
➢ Ventilation will also affects the burning pattern; but
without unusual ventilation, fires burn equally in all
directions except down.
➢ Explosions also feed in all directions; the heat effect is
usually intense. The point of explosion is usually easier to
determine than the point of origin of other accelerants.
witnesses, or any person who might help in any way should be
interviewed. If an investigator ever needed to be a skilled
interviewer, it is in arson investigation cases. Most people just do
not like to talk about arson fire. In general, they must be questioned
as to the following.
a. His identity
b. His business in the arson of the fire.
C. What attracted his attention to it?
d. Time of observation and exact location of the
blaze.
e. His position in relation to the fire at time of
spectator, or someone constantly driving over fire hoses
are grounds for suspecting arson.
➢ Behavior of owners, occupants, and other persons present
as to their actions, excitements, dresses, and other
pertinent information are observed, which might be
helpful later.
➢ Gasoline was, by far, the most frequently found fire
accelerant, possibly because it is readily available. Its
characteristic and familiar odor makes it easier to
determine than most other flammable liquids.

ALLIGATOR PATTERN The alligator pattern (checking of charred observation.

wood giving it the appearance of alligator skin) caused by the fire
often can be used to trace the fire to its origin. The pattern at the
point of origin is smaller and deeper than the rest of the areas. The
pattern is also smaller and deeper at points where flammable
liquids were used.
INFORMATION from people Many investigators have found that
information from people help them know what to look for the fire
scene. The good investigator knows how to how to interview people
to get information that can help determine the origin of the fire,
the cause of fire and even incendiary origin of the fire. The owner,
the family of the owner, person calling in the alarm, neighbors,
f. Size of intensity, rapidity of spread, and direct travel of flame. ➢ To camouflaged the odor, incendiaries ordinarily used
ammonia which has a pungent odor easily recognized by
g. Color of flame, and odor if he is in a position to observe these. firemen. Ammonia is also used to keep out firemen from
h. Other pertinent information. the burning structure. Other accelerants often used like
kerosene, alcohol, firemen can easily distinguish rubber.
METHODS OF ESTABLISHING ARSON Films have pungent odors similar to camphor.
➢ The size of fire, rapidity of spread and direction from the
➢ The usual methods involve examination of the fire scene.
time of discovery to the arrival of the firemen may indicate
Although some of the most common methods used are
that certain flammable substance have been used to
burn indicators, which are the effect on materials of
accelerate spread of fire. Arsonist may also bore holes on
heating or partial burning and may be used to determine
walls and floors as a means for the fire to spread more
the point or points of origin of a fire.
rapidly.
➢ Fire accelerates the development of fire and to increase the
➢ Intensity of heat maybe an indication that flammable
amount of devastation. If either multiple point of origin or
liquids or compounds could have been used to spread the
traces of fire accelerants are found arson is indicated.
fire more rapidly. The firemen may experience sometimes
➢ Occasionally, detection of arson during a fire is done
that when a stream of water are directed on such fire,
through a team of arson investigators in the form of
instead of going out as might be ordinarily expected the
surveillance of the fire scene: suspicious behavior of
spectators, an overzealous offer of assistance by a

PREPARED BY: ABEGAIL R GARCIA, RCRIM

CDI-108 FIRE TECHNOLOGY AND ARSON INVESTIGATION MAIN TOPIC 6
fire will burn with added intensity, and with a different
color of flame such as red, blue, yellow or orange.
➢ The color of the smoke, location, and size are all-valuables
in determining the use of accelerant. Although, some fires
burns with little or no smoke, these are exceptions. The
observation must be made atthe start of the fire, once the
fire as assumed a major proportion; the value of the smoke
is lost because the smoke will not indicate the materials
burning or used by the arsonist.
➢ If white smoke appears before the water from the fire hose
comes in contact with the fire, it indicates humid materials
burning, such as hay, vegetables, phosphorus (with garlic
odor). Black smoke indicates lack of air, but if accompanied
by large flames it indicates petroleum and rubber.
➢ If biting smoke is encountered causing irritation of the
nose and throat, lacrimation, and coughings, presence of
chlorine is indicated. Reddish-brown smoke might indicate
nitrocellulose.
➢ Arson is often used to conceal another crime. Documents
and records that found purposely exposed during a fire
should be given particular attention, including doors,
windows, and ventilators that are open and provide cross-
drafts. Locked and obstructed entrances or passageways to
impede the speedy transit of firemen and equipments.
GATHERING, PRESERVING, AND ANALYZING EVIDENCES
The arsonist expects the fire to destroy all of the evidence, and
sometimes it does destroy most of it. However, the investigator
who digs hard enough many times comes up with evidence where
seemingly noneexist. The cause of the fire should be investigated
shortly after the fire is extinguished, otherwise, very little can be
done afterwards be-map-up and salvage operation. This is a crucial
stage in the detection and investigation of arson because cases rely
on evidence that is recognized and preserved at this point.
PREPARED BY: ABEGAIL R GARCIA, RCRIM
FINDING AND PRESERVING EVIDENCE
As in all other investigations, only one person should pick up, mark
and package all evidence, and special care should be taken to
maintain the chain of custody.
There are some special problems in arson investigation due to the
types of accelerants that may have been used. Accelerants used
often are those of petroleum products such as gasoline, kerosene,
mineral spirits, or anything containing volatile flammable liquid.
Hydrocarbons of these products may be found under the debris of
the fire, at or near the point of the origin. These fluids, when
originally spread, flow outward and downward, hence evidence of
these may be found in cracks in the floor or in dirt under the fire.
Just because the fire damage is extensive or there is no odor present
does not mean these types of accelerants were not used.
The crime lab in most cases would be needed to prove which type
of accelerant was used. Wood flooring and rugs are the most
common substrates, followed by furniture and upholstery. These
materials are where the crime lab separates accelerant residues.
Sections of the floors, the debris or some dirt under the fire must
be stored in glass or metal containers and sealed, to be of value to
the crime lab. Fumed from the accelerants or hydrocarbons would
escape from plastic or open containers.
The predominant type of container used to preserve physical
evidence from arson. Scenes are the unused metal paint can. These
containers are vapor- tight and unbreakable. Plastic bags, while
convenient and inexpensive, are easily punctured, are chemically
attacked by some types of evidence, and allow the loss of some
volatile evidence by diffusing through the bag.
TIME DELAY DEVICES
Delayed action is achieved in setting incendiary fires by the used of
certain mechanical, electrical or chemical devices. They usually
involve matches, candles, electric heating elements, batteries and
clock mechanisms coupled with flammable liquids, or chemicals
that will spontaneously ignite after a short delay. If none of these
devices are found, the evidence, which should be the various
containers for them. The arsonist uses this delayed type of devices
to establish an alibi.
CONDITION OF DOORS, WINDOWS, FURNITURE
In cases where a building has burned to the ground, the hardware
of doors and window remain. They will fall straight down, unless
moved by the water stream of the firemen. This may tell whether
a door or windows was opened or closed.
Another problem, called olfactory fatigue, is the tendency of the
nose to lose its sensitivity to an odor after a prolonged or intense
exposure to it. Further, the odor of fire accelerants may be masked
by other strong odor such as that of burnt debris or ammonia. In
fact, in one case an arsonist attempted to camouflage the presence
of gasoline by mixing vanilla with it to mask the odor. Finally, it
may be inconvenient or impossible to search for accelerant odor
with nose along with certain types of detector equipment.
OTHER TYPES OF ACCELERANT
Explosive types of accelerant usually leave little or no residue, but
there maybe some types of containers or parts of containers
available; metal parts such as pieces of pipe, wire, batteries, and
parts of alarm clock. Evidence of forced entry, evidence of arson to
cover up other crimes and evidence of footprints or tire tracks
(outside) should be carefully gathered and reserved. Do not take
for granted that fingerprints will be destroyed by the fire. Soot from
the fire maybe perfect preservatives of fingerprints.
The arsonist may use material on hand such as newspapers,
overstuffed furniture, or anything that burns easily. He may
rearrange anything available to provide a quick burning situation.
CDI-108 FIRE TECHNOLOGY AND ARSON INVESTIGATION MAIN TOPIC 6
He may use some type of petroleum accelerant on this material. If
rearrange, fast-burning materials are use without accelerants, a
good photograph showing rearrangement may be sufficient. If
some accelerant of petroleum product is used, it will be necessary
to place some of this materialmove in, the crime lab can tell from
the ashes. Evidence of fraud fires should be carefully examined.
This is tremendous problem and should remain uppermost in the
mind of the investigator.
Burn Indicator
Burn indicators are the effects on materials of heating or partial
burning, which are used to indicate various aspects of fire such as
flammable liquids, and points of origin. Interpretation of burn
indicators is a principal means of determining the cause of the fire.
Although burn indicators are widely used to establish the causes of
fires, they have received little scientific testing. Some of the burn
indicators used are the following:
Alligatoring effect: checking of charred wood, giving it the
appearance of the alligator skin. Large, rolling blisters indicates
rapid, intense heat, while small, flat alligatoring indicates long, low
heat.
PREPARED BY: ABEGAIL R GARCIA, RCRIM
Crazing of glass: formation of irregular cracks in glass due to
rapid, intense heat, while small, possible fire accelerant.
Depth of char: depth of burning wood - used to determine length
of burn and thereby locate the point of origin of the fire.
Line of demarcation: boundary between charred and uncharred
material. On floors or rugs, a puddle shaped line of demarcation is
believed to indicate a liquid fire accelerant. In the cross section of
wood, a sharp, distinct line of demarcation indicates a rapid,
intense fire.
Sagged furniture springs: because of the heat required for
furniture springs to collapse from their own weight (1150°F) and
because of the insulating effect of the upholstery, sagged springs
are believed to be possible only in either a fire originating inside
the cushions (as from a cigarette) rolling between the cushions) or
an extrnal fire intensified by a fire accelerant.
Spalling: breaking off of pieces of the surface of concrete, brick or
cement due to intense heat. Brown stains around the spall indicate
the use of fire accelerant.
Freezing of leaves: drying of leaves in a forest fire into their
position at the time of the fire. Since the leaves turn during the day.
"Some persons regard this evidence as unreliable because of
insufficient clinical and research conformation and the influence of
the firewind."
Olfactory Detection
Gasoline is a complex mixture of chemical compounds, the
proportion of which vary with the source of the crude oil and the
type of process used in its manufacture. The sensitivity of the
human nose toin glass or metal container and sealed for the crime
lab to examine.
TECHNICAL METHODS IN ARSON INVESTIGATION
The detection, recovery, and analysis of fire accelerants are of
major concern to arson investigators. The presence of flammable
liquids can be used to establish that arson was committed and can
sometimes be used to link a suspect of fire. Although; objection is
sometimes be raised that identifiable amounts of liquid fire
accelerants rarely survive a fire so tha9t any effort or fund
expanded for their detection would be largely wasted. While there
CDI-108 FIRE TECHNOLOGY AND ARSON INVESTIGATION MAIN TOPIC 6
is not sufficient scientific investigation of this subject, the day to
day experience of arson investigation, is that accelerant residue are
often found. Furthermore, experiments have shown that
accelerants can survive fires.
The areas most likely to contain residues of liquid fire accelerants
are floors, carpets, and soil since, like all liquids, they run to the
lowest level. Also, these areas are likely to have the lowest
temperatures during the fire and may have insufficient oxygen to
support the complete combustion of the accelerant. Porous or
cracked floors may allow accelerant to seep through the underlying
earth. Numerous instances have been recounted of the excellent
retention properties of soil for flammable liquids. Another place
where accelerants, and the equipments sensitivities, limitations,
advantages and disadvantages.
Recovery of Fire Accelerant Residue
Accelerant residues must first be separated from the ashes, wood,
carpeting, or other material in which they are found before they
can be analyzed. This extraction is usually accomplished by one of
three types. Of distillation: simple, steam, or vacuum. Both steam
and vacuum distillation are capable of extracting 64% of any
gasoline from debris.
Identification of Prime Suspect
The final basic line of inquiry is the identification of the fire setters
and his accomplices if any. The identification is developed from
clues, traces, testimony of persons particularly eye witnesses, and
expert testimony may be of value.
Difficulties in Investigating Arson Cases
The reasons for the low rate of investigation of fires fall mainly into
two categories.
1. Physical nature of the fire scene.
PREPARED BY: ABEGAIL R GARCIA, RCRIM
➢ No other type of crime scene except bombings is
characterized by as much destruction and disorder as
arson. Investigators must search through piles of debris
and rubbles, often on their hands and knees. Ashes, soot,
and char make fire scenes filthy and malodorous.
➢ The fire scene search is further aggravated by water
remaining from the extinguishments. The scene may be a
quagmire, making the rubble wet and heavy to move out
the way. Plaster fallen from walls and ceilings mixed with
the water, forming a gray slush retarding the
investigator's movements. The fire scene may be
dangerous to work in because of the imminent collapse of
upper parts of the structure. It may be exposed to the
elements, making work in foul weather difficult and
unpleasant.
➢ In addition to the destruction of the fire, there are further
problems caused by firefighter mop-up process and
salvage operations immediately following the fire. This
involves finding and eliminating any smoldering sports
that might rekindle the fire. This involves tearing open
walls, ceilings, roofs, and other partitions, and throwing
objects like mattresses and sofas out the building.
➢ The salvage process involves removing any salvageable
items, such as furnishings or machinery, to a safe place
and covering them from the elements. The process
hampers efforts to reconstruct the fire scene and the
sequence of events that led to arson. The original positions
of objects must, as a result, usually be obtained through
meticulous interviews.
➢ Securing the fire scene poses another real problems, since
the investigator in most cases, is late in arriving. In
general fireman do not recognized their responsibility in
arson investigation and concentrate on suppressing the
fire without regard to the suspicious fire. In the fire is
suspicious and should be investigated.
2. Administrative Problems
Historically, the attitude of police has often been that arson is a fire
problem and that responsibility for arson lies completely within the
fire service. Arson, however, is a crime, and firefighters are not
trained to investigate criminal matters. As discussed in the
previous section, the conditions typical of fire scenes make arson
investigation unpleasant and unrewarding. Neither the police nor
fire agencies are anxious to take over an area with such a low
success rate. Both want to improve their statistics in order to
enhance their image and justify their budget. When budget cut
occurs arson units are often the first to go. The real winner in this
dispute is the arsonist.
Difficulties in Prosecuting Arson Cases
Legally, fires are assumed to be accidental in origin until proven
otherwise. The proof that the origin was incendiary and that a
crime occurred is called the corpus delecti (body of the crime) of
the arson case. Since arson is committed surreptitiously, witnesses
are rare. Arson must therefore usually established using
circumstantial evidence including physical evidence, such as fire
accelerant residues or multiple points or origin of the fire, which s
difficult to find.
Once arson has been established, the prosecution centers on
implicating the defendant. Again witnesses are few (unlike, say,
robbery or assault), so a complex circumstantial case must usually
be constructed. Such a case requires greater trial preparation and
more experience on the part of the fiscal: Further, the low success
rate and high work demands of arson cases make them most
unattractive to prosecutors, who demands of arson cases make
them most unattractive to prosecutors, who demands of arson
cases make them most unattractive to prosecutors, who are usually
CDI-108 FIRE TECHNOLOGY AND ARSON INVESTIGATION MAIN TOPIC 6
overburdened with cases. One of the criteria for promotion is the
number of convictions returned. Finally, because of the heavy
reliance on physical evidence, the prosecutor may feel uneasy with
the large amount of expert scientific testimony required.
ABATEMENT Any act that would remove or neutralize a fire
hazard.
ADMINISTRATOR Any person who acts as agent of the owner and
manages the use of a building for him.
BLASTING AGENT Any material or mixture consisting of a fuel
and oxidizer used to set off explosives.
COMBUSTIBLE, FLAMMABLE OR INFLAMMABLE Descriptive
of materials that are easily set on fire.
COMBUSTIBLE FIBER Any readily ignitable and free burning
fiber such as cotton, oakum, rags, waste cloth, waste paper, kapok,
hay, straw, Spanish moss, excelsior and other similar materials
commonly used in commerce.
CORROSIVE LIQUID Any liquid which causes fire when in contact
with organic matter or with certain chemicals.
DAMPER A normally open device installed inside an air duct
system which automatically closes to restrict the passage of smoke
or fire.
DISTILLATION The process of first raising the temperature in
separate the more volatile from the less volatile parts and then
cooling and condensing the resulting vapor so as to produce a
nearly purified substance.
DUCT SYSTEM A continuous passageway for the transmission of
air.
DUST A finely powdered substance which, when mixed with air in
the proper proportion and ignited will cause an explosion.
PREPARED BY: ABEGAIL R GARCIA, RCRIM
ELECTRICAL ARC An extremely hot luminous bridge formed by
passage of an electric current across a space between two
conductors or terminals due to the incandescence of the conducting
vapor.
EMBER A hot piece or lump that remains after a material has
partially burned, and is still oxidizing without the manifestation of
flames.
FIRE TRAP A building unsafe in case of fire because it will burn
easily or because it lacks adequate exits or fire escapes.
FIRE ALARM Any visual or audible signal produced by a device or
system to warm the occupants of the building or fire fighting
elements of the presence or danger of fire to enable them to
undertake immediate action to save life and property and to
suppress the fire.
FIRE DOOR A fire resistive door prescribed for openings in fire
separation walls or partitions.
FIRE HAZARD Any condition or act which increases or may cause
an increase in the probability of the occurrence of fire, or which
may obstruct, delay, hinder or interfere with fire fighting
operations and the safeguarding of life and property.
FIRE LANE The portion of a roadway or publicway that should be
kept opened and unobstructed at all times for the expedient
operation of fire fighting units.
FORCING A process where a piece of metal is heated prior to
changing its shape or dimensions.
FULMINATE A kind of stable explosive compound which explodes
by percussion.
HORIZONTAL EXIT Passageway from one building to another or
through or around a wall in approximately the same floor level.
HOSE BOX A box or cabinet where fire hoses, valves and other
equipment are stored and arranged for fire fighting.
HOSE REEL A cylindrical device turning on an axis around which
a fire hose is wound and connected.
JUMPER A piece of metal or an electrical conductor used to bypass
a safety device in an electrical system.
OCCUPANT Any person actually occupying and using a building or
portions thereof by virtue of alease contract with the owner or
administrator or by permission or sufferance of the latter.
OVERLOADING The use of one or more electrical appliances or
devices which draw or consume electrical current beyond the
designed capacity of the existing electrical system.
OWNER The person who holds the legal right of possession or title
to a building or real property.
PUBLIC ASSEMBLY BUILDING Any building or structure where
fifty (50) or more people congregate, gather, or assemble for any
purpose.
PYROPHORIC Descriptive of any substance that ignites
spontaneously when exposed to air.
REFINING A process where impurities and/or deleterious
materials are removed from a mixture in order to produce a pure
element of compound. It shall also refer to partial distillation and
electrolysis.
SELF-CLOSING DOORS Automatic closing doors that are designed
to confine smoke and heat and delay the spread of fire.
SMELTING Melting or fusing of metallic ores or compounds so as
to separate impurities from pure metals.
CDI-108 FIRE TECHNOLOGY AND ARSON INVESTIGATION MAIN TOPIC 6

STANDPIPE SYSTEM A system of vertical pipes in a building to

which fire hoses can be attached on each floor, including a system
by which water is made available to the outlets as needed.

PREPARED BY: ABEGAIL R GARCIA, RCRIM