CDI 7

FIRE PROTECTION AND ARSON

INVESTIGATION

RAYMOND O. COSME RCrim.
 Definition of Terms

 FIRE PROTECTION- a term that includes fire
prevention, fire control, fire extinguishment, fire detection
and fire investigation.
 ARSON- it refers to the crime of intentionally setting fire
to a building or other property; the wilful and malicious
burning of the property of another.
 ARSON INVESTIGATION- a systematic examination of
arson case.
LESSON 1.1: THEORIES OF COMBUSTION
 Fire Triangle Theory- three elements necessary to create or


produce fire in equal proportion

OX
AT

YG
HE

E
N
FUEL

 Fire Tetrahedron Theory- four elements of fire known as the

chemical chain reaction.
 Life Cycle of Fire Theory- stages or steps wherein fire is created.

THREE WAYS TO EXTINGUISH FIRE


1. Reduce the temperature (cooling)
2. Cut-off the oxygen supply
3. Remove the fuel

TYPES OF ENERGY
 Chemical Energy
 Electrical Energy
 Nuclear Energy
 Mechanical Energy
 Heat
 Lights
 Combustion or Burning- is a complex sequence of exothermic
chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant

accompanied by the production of heat or both heat and light
in the form of either a glow or flames appearance of light
flickering.

 Fire- is a rapid, self sustaining oxidation process accompanied

by the release of heat and light of different intensities.

 Pyrolysis- the chemical process whereby fire consumes the

most solid part of the fuel. It is the thermal decomposition of a
solid fuel through the action heat.
 The process of pyrolysis:
 The fuel is heated until its temperature reaches its fire point.
 Decomposition takes place- moisture in the fuel is converted
into vapour.

 Decomposition produces combustible vapours that rise to the
surface of the fuel. These combustible vapours are technically
termed as free radicals.
 Free-radicals undergo combustion if proper amount of oxygen is
present.

Most common types of free-radicals:

1. Hydrogen Gas
2. Carbon Monoxide
3. Carbon Dioxide
4. Nitrogen
 Products of Combustion
1. Fire Gases- chemical composition of the fuel, percent of
oxygen present and the temperature of the fire.
Types of Poisonous Gases
 Hydrogen Sulfide

 Hydrogen Cyanide
 Hydrogen Chloride

2. Flame- the luminous body of a burning gas which gets hotter

and less luminous when mixed with more oxygen.
Flame is defined as the visible part of the fire caused by
highly exothermic reaction taking place in a thin zone.
Types of Flames:
a. According to color and completeness of combustion
 A1. Luminous Flame
 A2. Non-luminous Flame 
b. According to Burning Fuel and Air Mixture
 B1. Premixed Flame
 B2. Diffusion Flame

c. Based on Smoothness
 C1. Laminar Flame
 C2. Turbulent Flame
3. Heat- a form of energy generated by the transmission of some
other form of energy.

4. Smoke- a visible product of incomplete combustion, a
mixture of oxygen, nitrogen, CO, CO2 and finely divided
particles released from the burning material.
 3. Life Cycle of Fire Theory
- stages or steps wherein fire is created.
Properties of Fire
a. Physical Properties 
A1. Specific Gravity- the ratio of the weight of a solid or
substance to the weight of an equal volume of water.
A2. Vapor Density- the weight of the volume of pure gas
compared to the weight of a volume of dry air at the same
temperature and pressure.
A3. Vapor Pressure- the force exerted by the molecules on
the surface of the liquid at equilibrium.
A4. Temperature- the measure of the thermal degree of the
agitation of molecules of a given substance.
A5. Boiling Point- the constant temperature at which the vapor
pressure of the liquid is equal to the atmospheric pressure.


A6. Ignition Temperature or Kindling Temperature – the
minimum temperature to which the substance in the air must be
heated in order to initiate or cause self-sustained combustion
without the addition of heat from outside sources.

A7. Fire Point- the temperature at which the material will give
off ample vapours to keep burning.

A8. Flashpoint- the temperature at which a material is hot

enough to keep burning, but still gives off enough vapors to
cause flame to flash across the surface.
B. Chemical Properties
B1. Endothermic Reaction- are changes whereby energy is
absorbed or is added before the reaction takes place.

B2. Exothermic Reaction- reactions or changes that release
or give off energy thus they produce substances with less energy
than the reactants.

B3. Oxidation- a chemical change in which combustible

material and an oxidizing agent react.

B4. Combustion or Flame- the manifestation of fire is in its

gas phased combustion. A matter that produced by fire.
 PHASES OF BURNING or THE THREE STAGES OF FIRE

The methods of firefighters use to extinguish a fire will
depend on the phase in which they find the fire.

Factors to be considered in determining phases of burning:

 The amount of time the fire has burned
 The ventilation characteristics of the confining structure
 The amount and type of combustibles present.
 Fires generally have three progressive stages based on the
following factors:


1. Incipient or Beginning Phase- it is the initial stage of fire.
Characteristics:
1a. Normal room temperature
1b. Oxygen plentiful
1c. Thermal updraft rise accumulates at higher point
1d. Flame temperature of 1000 degrees F
1e. Producing pyrolysis products (CO2, CO, SO2, water vapor and
other gases)

2. Free-Burning Phase- the second phase of burning in which materials

or structures are burning in the presence of adequate oxygen.
Characteristics:
2a. Fire has involved more fuel
 2b. Oxygen supply is depleted.
2c. Heat accumulates at upper area
2d. Temperature exceeds 1300degree F(705degree Celsius)

2e. Area is fully involved
3. Smouldering Phase- the final phase of burning wherein flame
ceases but dense smoke and heat completely fill the confined
room.
Characteristics:
3a. Flames may die and leave only glowing embers or super
heated fuel under pressure with little oxygen
3b. Intense heat will vaporize lighter fuel components, such
as hydrogen and methane increasing the hazard
 3c. Temperature throughout the building is very high and
normal breathing is not possible.
3d. Oxygen deficiency may cause backdraft.

Backdraft- a sudden influx of oxygen causing combustion to
restart possibly at devastating speeds consistent with an
explosion.
Conditions that indicate the danger for
backdraft:

a. pressurized smoke exiting small openings
b. black smoke becoming dense grey yellow
c. confinement and excessive heat
d. little or no visible flame
e. smoke leaving the building in puffs or at intervals
f. smoke stained windows
 Flashover- occurs when a  Rollover- an eruption of
room or other area is heated flames following the
enough that flames sweep ignition of gas that has
over the entire surface.

-this is the stage of
collected at the top of an
enclosed space or
fire in which a room or other structure.
confined area becomes heated
to the point that flames will
sweep or flash over the entire
surface of the area.
 Classification of Fire

Based on the Cause:
1. Natural Fire
2. Accidental Fire
3. Intentional Fire
 B. Based on Burning Fuel
1. Class A Fire- materials involving vegetable fibers, wood, paper
straw, grain and grass; combustible materials such as coal and
coke.

2. Class B Fire- materials including petroleum products such a
gasoline, fuel oils, lubricating oils, and greases; animal fats such
as butter, lard and tallow; vegetable extracts such as alcohol,
linseed oil and turpentine; vegetable compounds such as
shortenings and oleomargarines; natural gases and compressed
gases such as butane, propane, hydrogen and acetylene.
3. Class C Fire- this type of fire involves electrical motors,
electrical appliances and apparatus. Actually Class C Fire is
composed of Class A and Class B materials or a combination of
both. Use of water is usually dangerous because of the risk of
electric shock.
 4. Class D Fire- this materials involving combustible metals,
alloys or metal compounds either in a solid, semi-solid or
liquid state.

5. Class K Fire- these are materials involving in the kitchen
fires. This classification was added to the NFPA portable
Extinguishers Standard in 1998.
Classification of Fire Extinguishers
1. Class A Extinguishers- will put out
fires in ordinary combustibles
such as wood and paper.
2. Class B Extinguishers- should be
used on fires involving flammable
liquids, such as grease gasoline,
oil, etc.
3. Class C Extinguishers- are suitable
for use on electrically energized
fires.
4. Class D Extinguishers- are
designed for use on flammable
metals and are often specific for
the type of metal in question.
Types of Heat Transmission:
1. Conduction- it is the transmission of heat through an object or
medium or conductor such as a pipe, metal, hot-air duct, wire
or even wall.

2. Radiation- the transmission through the discharge and spread
of heat from a heated or burning source. This radiation tales
place through the air or through space that cause another
flammable object to ignite.
3. Convection- it is the transmission of heat by the moving
currents of liquid or gas. When these gases or liquids are
heated, they start to move within themselves; and by their free
motion, circulation starts.
Some Important Points:
 Intensity of Fire- means simply how hot the fire is burning.


Explosive Limits- means the amount of fuel vapour
that can be mixed with air to form an explosive or
flammable mixture. 
Magnitude of Fire- means the size of a fire and it is
governed by the surface area of fuel exposed to the air.
Fire point- the temperature at which a liquid fuel will
produce sufficient vapors to support continuous
combustion once ignited.
Ignition Temperature- is the degree of heat necessary
to ignite flammable vapours.
 END OF


LESSON 1.1