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Arson > Arson > Flashcards

Arson Flashcards

1
Q

what are the Fire service powers under section 28 of the Fire Service Act 1975?

A
  • Enter private property when it is on fire or endangered, or when entry is essential to perform necessary duty
  • close roads
  • remove vehicles impeding the Fire Service. If necessary can break into vehicles for that purpose
  • remove people who are in danger or interfering with operations, using reasonable force if necessary
  • do anything reasonably necessary for the protection of live or property
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2
Q

Fire service will notify Police if:

A
  • Fire results in serious injury or death

- Fire is considered suspicious

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3
Q

To identify the best method of protection from hazards you must consider:

A

An assessment of the hazards,

  • inhalation of toxic substances
  • ingestion of particles
  • cuts/wounds from sharp objects
  • airborne dust/particles
  • tripping on fire debris
  • Falling down, over, onto or into obstructions or cavities
  • Items falling from above onto you or hitting objects and causing chain reaction.

and a strategy to prevent each occurence or mitigate its impact

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4
Q

Who has control over a fire scene?

A

The fire service has authority over a fire scene while the fire is in progress. Once a fire is extinguished and any threat to life or property no longer exists, the fire service must hand over to the appropriate person or agency.

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5
Q

Common methods of setting fires

A
  • Candles
  • Chemical igniters
  • Electrical appliances
  • Electric matches
  • Matches and cigarettes
  • Molotov Cocktails
  • Timing devices
  • Trailers
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6
Q

Initial action fire not involving explosives. Who must you interview?

A
  • Informant
  • Specialist Fire investigator
  • O/C of first fire appliance to arrive
  • Incident controller at the scene
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7
Q

What questions must you ask the fire incident controller?

A
  • time date of the call and manner in which it was received
  • what appliances attended
  • the state of the fire when the fire service arrived
  • what action the fire service has taken, particularly in entering the building and ventilating it after the fire
  • what information fire service has about buildings security
  • what alterations they have made to the scene, eg forced doors or windows
  • whether they think they fire is suspicious and why
  • their opinion of the informant
  • details of people or vehicles acting suspiciously in the vicinity
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8
Q

Scene security considerations for Police

A
  • ensuring scene is not interfered with
  • exclusion and control of on-lookers, property owners and other interested parties
  • preserving evidence
  • preventing looting
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9
Q

Scene security, attending Police should also

A
  • be aware of reignition from hotspots after fire extinguished
  • be vigilant and watch for possible suspects
  • identify witnesses amongst onlookers or passers-by
  • report all matters of significance to O/C investigation or scene co-ordinator
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10
Q

Personnel that may be required

A
  • fire investigation liason officer
  • ESR scientist
  • rural fire investigator
  • photographer
  • fingerprint technician
  • explosives inspector
  • electrical inspector
  • building inspector
  • insurance assessor
  • accountant
  • forensic mapper/ original floor plans
  • pathologist
  • vehicle inspector
  • civil aviation inspector
  • mines inspector
  • forestry expert
  • agricultural expert
  • marine surveyor
  • heating engineer
  • meteorologist
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11
Q

The O/C investigation should

A
  • appoint exhibits officer
  • appoint crime scene co-ordinator (if required)
  • advise Fire investgation liason officer
  • appoint a scene examiner
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12
Q

Where should scene exam begin?

A

a successful fire investigation requires a logical, step by step approach, commencing in the undamaged area and working through to the point of origin

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13
Q

What is the point of origin?

A

Point of origin is location at which:

  • a compnent failed
  • a fire was maliciously lit
  • an accidental fire originated
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14
Q

External examination takes into account?

A
  • Adjoining premises which often reveal: accelerant containers, attempts at forced entry, broken windows, forced doors.
  • nearby alleyways/streets/driveways
  • yards and outbuildings of the fire effected property
  • the periphery of the structure itself
  • what distance debris was scattered, particularly if drums or cylinders have exploded.
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15
Q

Surrounding area of the involved premises may also reveal

A
  • accelerant containers
  • contents of outbuildings missing
  • property run down
  • business appears to be struggling
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16
Q

Damaged structure may reveal

A
  • jemmy marks or other signs of forced entry
  • window glass broken before fire was ignited
  • burn patterns above doors and windows and “V” shaped burn patterns on external cladding.
17
Q

Preliminary internal examination should involve a slow walkthrough from area of least damage to most damage taking note of:

A
  • low stock levels in commercial premises
  • building areas in need of repair
  • signs of hardship (empty flats, shop for rent etc)
  • missing family photographs, furniture, personal items
  • lack of clothing in drawers and wardrobes
  • rifled premises
  • position of clothes if not in wardrobe or drawers
  • open filing cabinets or missing files
  • forced entry into an empty till
  • presence of accelerant containers or trails
  • seperate unrelated seats of fire
  • owner/occupier attitude during walkthrough (if access is permitted)
  • unusual odours
  • burn patterns
18
Q

Detailed internal examination will be completed by specialist fire investigator. They will observe, note and take into account:

A
  • smoke deposits and burn patterns
  • spallig (cracking or chipping of concrete as a result of being heated and cooled)
  • damage to wall studs
  • damage to roofing timbers
  • damage to window sills and door edges
  • soot deposits on window glass and craze patterns
  • floor areas burned through
  • skirting board damage
  • elimination of false low burns
  • removal of fire debris
  • under floor inspection
19
Q

At the conclusion of the detailed internal examination the specialist fire investigator will be able to determine?

A
  • area of origin
  • point of origin
  • the seat of the fire
20
Q

What will the specialist fire investigator consider in determining the seat of the fire?

A
  • witness reports
  • when they first noticed the fire and where they were at the time
  • the state of the fire at that time
  • wind speed and direction, and the weather
  • the direction of spread
  • the colour of the flames and smoke (may also point to the cause)
  • the severity of the damage
  • the depth o the charring
  • the presence of starting devices
  • the reports and opinions of other specialists.
21
Q

How to deal with exhibits

A
  • Photograph in situ, label exhibits and preserve them in containers
  • use approved arson kits if available, otherwise any suitable containers, eg unushed 4l paint tin
  • take control samples of:
  • charred timber, ashes or debris from the seat of the fire for examination and comparison with samples from other points
  • any accelerants found near the scene
  • soil from the surrounding area
22
Q

What questions to ask owner

A
  • when the premises were last secured and by whom
  • whether they know the cause of the fire
  • the details of any suspects and insurance
  • type of business
  • actions leading up to the fire.
23
Q

Conferences must be held to assist with?

A
  • assessing information obtained
  • reconstructing
  • establishing possible motives
  • identifying suspects
  • planning further enquiries
24
Q

People attending conferences coud include

A
  • O/C CIB
  • crime scene co-ordinator
  • Fire investigation liason officer
  • O/C investigation
  • investigating officers
  • Specialist fire investigator
  • Police photographer
  • fingerprint technician/ SOCO
  • other specialists as required.
25
Q

Why are conferences held?

A

Conferences form the basis of scene examination and risk assessment planning. All decisions made and reasons for them must be recorded

26
Q

Contact insurance company and obtain:

A
  • services of an assessor - to value building and the damage
  • particulars of the insurance on premises and contents
  • copies of insurance policies
  • information on prior claims
  • details of any recent increase in cover or over insurance
27
Q

Initial action at fire involving explosive

A
  • Remember there may be secondary device, don’t handle or interfere with anything unfamiliar
  • don’t use radio or cell phones or other transmitting devices
  • Evacuate the scene to distance of at least 100m. Ensure people leaving bring personal belongings, to reduce number of items to be cleared. Consider explosives detector dog
  • If IED is located obtain assisstance of IED operator from Department of labour.
28
Q

Modern explosive residues are often slight and dissapate quickly. What should you do?

A

May need to authorise expert to enter the centre of scene before it is fully examined.

  • create a path to the centre of the explosion by laying a clean unused roll of plastic or by using stepping plates (clean path method)
  • have ESR analyst start swabbing area immediately, working outwards from the seat of the explosion
  • vertical sheets of iron adjacent to the blast eg street signs and fencing, are often good sources of residue.

Ensure items used are carefully cleaned before use. Discuss avoidance of cross contamination with the ESR analyst.

29
Q

What to look for in explosions

A
  • cratering
  • spread of debris
  • shredding of materials
  • a smell peculiar to the exploded material. eg smell of almonds often associated to explosives
  • an overlay of dust
  • shrapnel marks
30
Q

differnce between gas explosion and explosives?

A

Explosions caused by gas generally cover wider area than those caused by explosives and do not leave a crater.
Lighter than air gases will create outwardblow at top of wall, whereas heavier than air gases blow out the bottom of wall.

May also be medical evidence of gas inhalation in suspect/victims

31
Q

Insurance companies

A

speaking to these people early on may assist investigation, once their qualifications and authority have been confirmed.

Private investigators are often experienced in fire investigation and may be able to assisst with resources eg hireage of equipment.

Arson (1 decks)

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