Arson

How to conduct an arson investigation?

• Things you´ll need:

o Trained ason investigator
o Knowledge of the properties of fire
o Knowledge of spontaneous combustion
o Training in cause and origin determination
o Training in crime scene investigation
o Investigative skills
o Accelerant detection dog
o Laboratory and internet access
 • Interview witnesses
Forensic • Examine the scene from the
outside in
arson • Evaluate fire
patterns( charring and
• Look for evidence of
motive
investigation melting, point of origin and
fire progressed)
techniques • Classify the fire(natural,
accidental, incendiary or
unable to be identified)
• Collect evidence
Questions: • In examining an arson scene,
where would you start to Do
• Give the classifications of
fire.
the examination? From areas
with least damage or with
heaviest damage? Explain
your answer
Photographing Photographs – provide key
evidence in cases of suspected
1. Film
2. Images
an arson scene arson
3. Lenses
4. Overexpose
5. Protect yourself
6. Victims
7. All angles
8. Catch the crowd
 Fire and arson have the same elements, they differ
only in that:
a) in fire, it can be accidental, natural or intentional
b) In arson, there is no motive involved
c) Arson is the intent to bring damage to life
property with the use of fire
d) None of the above

Test yourself
’To catch the crowd’ means:
a) Make arrests from the crowd
b) To observe for suspicious spectators bec
arsonists often stay around to watch
c) To jail as many suspects from the crowd
d) To serve warrants of arrest to people in
the crowd
Explosives
 Chemical substances that are
susceptible to sudden

What are decomposition or combustion, in

the process creating heat, pressure,
shockwaves, fragmentation, that
explosives? brings damage, death, And
mutilation along ITS path
Composed of c, N, o and H. (Cnoh)
 1. Primary- not used as Main
explosives but used as detonators
2. Low explosives – contain first real
explosives such as
gunpowder(propellants) :
Classification of fireworks also is an example
3. High explosives – used for
explosives weapons in military such as
missiles and bombs
4. Blasting agents – used in mining
and excavation operations :
dynamite is an
example( industrial explosives)
What are
 Explosion is a sudden release of energy
accompanied by radical cahanges in
pressure, loud noise and a Flash of light

explosions?  Could be caused by natural events such as

gases building up in a confined container
Categories:

I. Mechanical – pressure explosion

II. Atomic explosion – result from atomic transformations
III. Chemical explosions – source of explosion are. Chemical reaction like the
burning of gunpowder
Damage mechanism:

Shock Wave
Shock heating
Fragmentation
Blast wave
Water shocks
Cratering and earth shock
 I. Pressure – pressure changes from an
explosion can cause injuries such as rupture
of internal air – filled organs, including ear
drums, lungs or intestines

Categories of II. Impact- occur when the force of explosion

causes something to hit the body or the
human injuries body hit something
III. Burns – cause from fires : radiation from a
from nuclear explosion can cause external and
internal burns bec of the intense heat
explosions generated
IV. Inhalation – explosions and the fires they
cause generate toxic gases : can both burn
the lungs and enter the bloodstream to
injury the body internally
 Do not use two way radios, radar, or TV
transmitting deviCe within 500 feet
Notify proper authorities such as BFP,
Responding PNP and explosive dept.
Clear and control the area
to an Stage emergency medical service, fire
and police units outside the control point
explosion Do not proceed to the suspected
explosive ; use binoCulars to observe the
incident area
Reduce potential effect of blast and
flying sharpnel
 Explosive debris
o Use surgical gloves
o TaKe photographs
o Use metal cans to keep evidence
Collection/handling/ collected
preservation of o Keep evidence in separate containers
evidence and label accdngly
o Wires recovered must be wrapped in
tissue paper
o Evidence collected should be put in diff.
Packages to prevent contamination
 o Do not attempt to deactivate explosive
devices unless trained to Do so
o Possibly, you may recover fingerprints from
the surface of explosives, perform dusting
as in procedure for latent prints

Explosive o Consider any piece of Material in the

explosion scene as material evidence.
devices and o Materials such as wires, batteries and cap
fragments can be place in a separate metal
substances cans
o Collect about 50g of the suspected
explosive in a small, clean and unused
comtainer.
o Recovered materials and suspected
explosives are never sent to email.
 A. AAS – atomic absorption
spectrophometry
B. NAA – neutron activation analysis
Test methods for C. Sem – edx – scanning electron
explosives & microscope with energy dispersive x –
Ray analysis

explosion debris D. Icp- MS – inductively coupled plasma

with mass spectrometry
E. GC/ HPLC – gas chromatography / High
pressure liquid chromatography
Test yourself :

The following are causes of explosion, except:

a) Nuclear reactions
b) Expansion of gases in sealed containers
c) Chemical reactions
d) Heat
One industrial application of explosives is when tunnels are built. The most
common explosive employed for this Purpose:
a) Dynamites
b) TNT
c) GRENADES
d) RDX
The most common element in all explosives is:
a) Carbon
b) Nitrogen
c) Potassium
d) Sulfur
Fireworks are examples of explosives. They
fall under the classification of:
a) Detonators
b) Low explosives
c) High explosives
d) Blasting agents
Thank you! :D