Arson Flashcards

Question

Who is in charge at the fire when you arrive

Answer 1

Answer: senior fire officer at the scene

Answer 2

On a charge of knowing having possession of an explosive substance, it must be proved that the offender knowingly had the substance in his possession and also that he knew it to be an explosive substance.

Answer 3

``` Rubbish Candle Chemical igniters Electrical apparatus - iron, toaster, bar heater Electric matches Matches Cigarette Molotov Cocktail Timing device Trailer ```

Answer 4

ACME – (Wiley coyote by an ACME explosive kit and makes a big crater Explosions caused by gas generally cover a wider area than those caused by explosives Explosives cause cratering Medical evidence – one or more the suspects or victims may have inhaled gas prior to the explosion Other tell tale signs like the implosion of cabinets which will be obvious to experts.

Answer 5

When - Witness reports First - When they first noticed the fire Stating - State of fire at that time Which - Wind direction and speed, and the weather Direction- Direction of spread Smoke - Colour of the flames and smoke (may point to cause, eg black smoke may indicate petroleum based fire Damaged - Severity of damage(heat fire raise/lowest area with most damage often place where is started – though lateral/downwards burning can occur in presence of some materials/accelerants/draughts Charing - Depth of charing (probing may indicate where fire has been burning or smouldering the longest Devices - Presence of starting devices Report - Reports/opinions of other specialists

Answer 6

1. You may identify suspects by means of; Police resources such as intel, youth aid, information from informants or witnesses, Enquiries at prison, rehab centres, schools, psych hospitals, media response, information from fire crews, circumstances of the fire, fingerprints. 2. Investigate suspects thoroughly and to priority. Obtain;  Full particulars  QHA  Motor vehicles they have access to  Details of Associates 3. Possible suspects may include;  Owner (Fraud)  Employee (To cover theft)  A criminal (destroying evidence)  An aggrieved person  Pyromaniac  Fire Employee (Recognition)  Business Competitor 4. Consider Surveillance 5. Complete Enquiries to establish suspects opportunity, motive, Mens Rea, connection with scene and/or evidence, Character, movements and mental background. 6. Execute Search Warrant in presence of suspect;  Look for accelerants, igniters, wick fabric, debris from scene  Photograph in Situ  Ask for explanation from suspect  268 Exhibits  Seized, examined, labelled, stored by exhibits officer 7. Interview the suspect 8. Consider Photo board 9. Advise supervisor, consider ingredients of offence, have ingredients been proved? 10. Consider arresting suspect. Obtain photo and fingerprints and DNA or details.

Answer 7

1. The fire service has authority over a fire scene while a fire is in progress. Once the fire is extinguished and any threat to life of property no longer exists, the fire service must hand the scene of the fire over to the appropriate person or agency. In certain circumstances this will be Police. 2. The Fire service will notify police if it considers that a fire may have been deliberately lit, or if it considers the cause of a fire suspicious. The fire service will also notify the police of all incidents where fatalities or serious (life threatening) injuries occur. 3. Where Police attend a fire scene and seek authority over that fire scene, the designated Police Investigating officer will confer with the Incident Controller to confirm the hand over process. 4. The Fire service will not normally hand over a fire scene until the danger of fire, structural collapse, exposure to dangerous products of combustion or other fire related hazards have been identified and eliminated, isolated or minimised. 5. For any Fire scene involving multiple agencies, all agencies will consult with each other prior to any investigation or scene examination to develop an investigation plan. 6. The investigation plan will include an outline of how the investigation will proceed and the role of each agency.

Answer 8

Adjoining premises which can reveal accelerant containers, attempts at forced entry, broken windows, forced doors Nearby alleyways / streets / driveways The yards and outbuildings of the fire effected property The periphery of the structure itself What distance debris were scattered, particularly if drums or cylinders have exploded

Answer 9

 Accelerant containers  Contents of outbuildings missing  Property run down  Business appears to be struggling

Answer 10

Jemmy marks or other signs of forced entry on windows or doors Window glass broken before the fire was ignited Burn patterns above windows and doors and “V” shaped burn patterns on external cladding

Answer 11

(What will Danny do cause she paid Rob?) Witness reports; when they noticed the fire, where they were at that time, the state of the fire at that time Wind direction and speed and the weather Direction of the spread Depth of charring (Where it has been smouldering the longest) Colour of the flames and the smoke (May point to the cause) Severity of the damage (because heat and fire rise the area at the lowest level of burning with most damage is often the place the fire started) Presence of starting devices Reports and opinions of other specialists

Answer 12

 Assessing information obtained  Reconstructing  Identifying Suspects  Planning further enquiries  Establishing possible motives

Answer 13

…Appoint and crime scene co-ordinator (if required), exhibits officer, scribe, scene examiner and advise the fire investigation coordinator.

Answer 14

Yes tenancy is an interest Tenant cannot be charged with recklessly damaging by fire Case Law – R v Wilson 2008

Answer 15

BENEFIT – Any benefit, pecuniary advantage, privilege, property, service or valuable consideration.

Answer 16

 Area of origin  Point of origin  The seat of the fire

Answer 17

Gas explosions generally cover a wider area and they do not leave a crater, and, implosion of cabinets.

Answer 18

 Suspects  Other peoples movements  People who have left the scene  Consider using media footage to ID people at scene

Answer 19

1. Photograph and label the exhibits and preserve them in containers 2. Use approved arson kits if available or use suitable containers 3. Take these control samples; Charred timber, ash, 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.

Answer 20

1. Briefly interview the informant 2. Secure and control the scene 3. Initial interview of the fire safety officer and the O/C of the first fire appliance to attend the scene. 4. Interview the incident controller at the scene and find out;  The time and date, manner of the call  What appliances attended  The state of the fire when the Fire Service arrived  What action the fire service has taken? I.e. entering and ventilating  Information the Fire Service has about the buildings security  What alterations they have made to the scene, e.g. forced doors  Whether they think the fire is suspicious and why  Their opinions of the informant  Details of people or vehicles acting suspiciously in the vicinity 5. If the fire is extinguished, ensure safety of the scene before an initial conference is held with the Fire Safety officer. Conduct an external examination initial preliminary examination of the scene 6. If deemed suspicious then re-group and hold a briefing conference 7. Determine a plan of action. Deploy staff to guard and control the scene, identify and interview witnesses at the scene and conduct local enquiries 8. Contact COMMS and supply a SITREP. Arrange specialists/photographer/fingerprints

Answer 21

(Preliminary examination is a slow walk through from the least damaged area to most damaged)  S – Signs of hardship (empty flats, shops to let)  M – Missing family photos, furniture, and personal items  A – Areas in need of repair  L – Low stock  L – Lack of clothing in wardrobes or drawers  P – Presence of accelerant containers  U – Unusual odours  B – Burn patterns

Answer 22

Smoke deposits and burn patterns  Spalling (The cracking or chipping or concrete as a result of being heated and cooled)  Damage to wall studs  Damage to roofing timbers  Damage to windows wills and door edges  Soot deposits on window glass and craze patterns  Floor areas burnt through  Skirting board damage  Elimination of false low burns  Under floor inspection

Answer 23

 Signs of window and skylights were opened to create a draught  Evidence of explosives  Evidence of accelerants;  Burning under or behind boards where liquid has run  Uneven burning  Multiple seats of fire  Containers  Unusual rapid spread or intensity of fire  Traces in debris  Smell  Intentional removal of valuable property or substituting  Evidence of intentional interference  Tampering with alarm/sprinkler system  Hindering access  Misdirecting the firefighters  Signs furniture was rearranged to create a fire base  Foreign material/objects such as screws or batteries that might be part of a device  Inconsistencies, unusual burn patterns, unusual time factors  Signs of an offence committed. May have been burnt to destroy evidence  Signs a heater, soldering iron, electrical appliance left on

Answer 24

 When the premises was last secured and by whom  Whether he or she knows the cause of the fire  Actions leading up to the fire  Type of business  The details of any suspects and any insurance

Answer 25

 Cratering  Overlay of dust  Shrapnel marks  Smell particular to the exploded material, e.g. the smell of almonds is often associated with explosive or exploded material  Shredding or materials  Spread of debris

Answer 26

 A – Avoid interfering with the scene  P – Preserve evidence  P – Prevent further fire or damage  L – Prevent looting  E – Exclude – and control on-lookers, property owners and other interested parties  V – Be vigilant and watch for suspects  L – Locate witnesses among on-lookers  R – Report all matters of interest and significance to the O/C investigation and/or scene coordinator

Answer 27

1. Remember there could be a secondary device anywhere at the scene. Do not handle anything unfamiliar. 2. Do not use cell phones, portable radios or the like 3. Evacuate scene to at least 100 metres. Ensure people leaving the scene bring their personal items with them. This limits the number of items to be cleared. Consider using explosives detector dogs. 4. If the IED is located, immediately obtain the assistance of an IED operator from the department of labour or armed forces 5. Inform the NBDC using the ‘Bomb/Explosive IED’ report form 6. Give the National Bomb Data Centre regular SITREPS

Answer 28

Identifying the Explosive – Because modern explosive residues are often slight and dissipate rapidly, the O/C scene may need to authorise the expert to enter the centre of the scene before it has been fully examined. In this case; Create a path to the centre of the explosion, by laying a clean unused roll of plastic or by using approved stepping plates (this may involves some exhibits being trampled under foot) Have the ESR analyst start swabbing the area immediately (Work outwards from the seat of the explosion) Vertical sheets of iron adjacent to the blast, such as street signs and fencing, are often good sources of residue

Answer 29

Fire scenes are undoubtedly one of the most unstable environments in which to work. The fire scene may be safe initially, however, due to the effects of the fire, may become unsafe during the post fire incident investigation. Investigators often find themselves searching through an unstable structure and excavating the scene to identify the cause of a fire.

Answer 30

 Inhalation of toxic substances  Ingestion of particles etc.  Injection of sharp objects  Air borne dusts, particles etc.  Tripping on fire debris  Falling down, over, onto or into any of the above  Items from above falling onto you of hitting objects and causing a chain reaction To identify the best method of protection, you must consider an assessment of each of the above and a strategy to prevent an occurrence or to mitigate its impact.

Answer 31

 A suitable helmet (that complies with the safety standard)  A pair of overalls  Nose and mouth filter, a full face respirator or full BA (if required and qualified)  Gloves  Safety Glasses  Shovels, rakes, sieves, pegs, twine  Heavy duty footwear with steel soles and toe caps

Answer 32

SCOPE – How much area needs to be preserved?  Single room  Entire building  A large area that includes a building or buildings; and  Large outside area Apply the investigation process and make an informed decision as to where most of the information you require is located, and what needs to be preserved.

Answer 33

 Identify the centre of the scene  Tape of outside, what is considered to be the most obvious item of evidence that is furthest away from the centre of the scene

Answer 34

All traffic through the scene should be limited to corridors i.e. the same paths which will keep disturbance of the scene to a minimum. The investigator should search the areas to be used as corridors prior to them receiving any traffic to avoid the possibility of evidence being introduced after the event and reduce the possibility of evidence being destroyed or To assist in preserving the scene whilst firefighting operations are in progress, the investigator should liaise with the incident controller to limit unnecessary operations within the area of origin.

Answer 35

WHERE IT IS DIFFICULT TO PRESERVE THE SCENE – In certain circumstances, such as demolition of specific areas due to safety, it may be difficult to preserve the scene. In such cases as this the investigator must record the scene, prior to demolition, by;  Sketches  Photographs  Plans  Video recordings

Answer 36

Insurance companies will either employ or use their own internal qualified fire investigators to investigate the origin and cause of the fire after the NZFS and Police have completed their enquiry. It is to your advantage to speak to those persons early in your investigation, once their qualifications have been confirmed. Including these persons where possible can lead to a more complete investigation and they can assist with their skill base and possibly resourcing to assist in the investigation, i.e. hire or lease of equipment, electrical engineers, etc. These persons come under the Police/NZFS scene management and must be managed as such.

Answer 37

A fleeting or passing thought is not sufficient; there must be a firm intent or firm purpose to effect an act.

Answer 38

Recklessness involves a foresight of dangerous consequences that could well happen together with an intention to continue with the course of conduct regardless of the risk.

Answer 39

Property may be damaged if it suffers permanent or temporary physical harm or temporary or permanent or temporary impairment of its value.

Answer 40

The court may have regard to the conduct viewed cumulatively up to the point when the conduct in questions stops. The defendant’s conduct may be considered in its entirety. Considering how much remains to be done is always relevant though not determinative.

Answer 41

On a charge of knowingly having possession of an explosive substance, it must be proved that the offender knowingly had the substance in his possession and also that he knew it to be an explosive substance.

Answer 42

Loss is assessed by the extent to which the complainant’s position prior to the offence has been diminished or impaired.

Answer 43

The ingredients of arson in s267 (1) (a) are;  Intentionally or recklessly  Damages by fire or by means of explosive  Any property  If he or she knows or ought to know  That danger to life is likely to ensue

Answer 44

Acting recklessly involves consciously and deliberately taking an unjustified risk. Case Law (R v Harney): Recklessness involves a foresight of dangerous consequences that could well happen together with an intention to continue with the course of action regardless of the risk.

Answer 45

Legally you are allowed to set fire to your own property, unless you; Intend to cause loss to someone else as a result of the fire Know or ought to know that the fire will endanger life Know that the fire is likely to destroy or damage someone else’s property as a consequence

Answer 46

1. Prepare by organising appropriate staff and equipment. Clear areas and set clear areas of responsibility. 2. Preparing the examination and arrange for the site to be examined systematically. 3. Examine the exterior of the fire site. 4. Conduct a preliminary internal examination of the site. 5. Conduct a detailed internal examination to identify the area of origin, point of origin and seat of the fire. 6. Identify the case of the fire. 7. Interview witnesses at the scene. 8. Photograph, label and preserve exhibits. 9. Conduct area enquiries

Answer 47

 Witness reports  When they first noticed the sire and where they were at the time  The state of the fire at that time  Wind direction and speed, weather  The direction of the spread  The colour of the flames and smoke  Severity of the damage  Depth of the charring  The presence of starting devices  Reports and opinions from other specialists

Answer 48

 Misusing electricity  Children playing with matches, cigarette lighters and so on  Burning off paint  Vagrants lighting fires  Welding and other industrial processes  Leaving clothes near heating  Wrapping up lives ashes in paper  Ironing  Setting off fireworks  Using or storing flammable materials  Burning rubbish  Using domestic or camp fires  Leaving a stove or heater on  Leaving fat unattended while cooking  Smoking

Answer 49

 Readily available combustible material – rubbish  Molotov Cocktails  Candles  Chemical igniters  Timing devices  Electric Matches  Electrical apparatus  Matches and cigarettes  Trailers

Answer 50

The Police must;  Conduct the criminal investigation or coronial enquiry  Undertake responsibility for the protection, collection and recording or forensic evidence  The collection and removal of material from a fire crime scene will only be done by Police or other agencies with the authority to remove evidence  The preservation, analysis and subsequent disposition of any such material is the responsibility of Police or other agency

Answer 51

Enter private property when it is one fire or endangered, or when entry is essential to performing a necessary duty Close roads Remove vehicles impeding the Fire Service. If necessary they can break into vehicles for that purpose Remove people who are in danger or interfering with operations, using reasonable force if necessary Do anything else that is reasonably necessary for the protection of life and property