Arson - Fire Scene Examination Flashcards
Initial actions when dealing with a fire not involving explosives
- Briefly interview your informant (do not overlook that the informant may be the offender)
- Secure and control the scene
- Initial Interview of the:
- Specialist Fire Investigator (if present)
- O/C of the first fire appliance to attend the scene - Interview the incident controller at the scene and find out:
- time/date of the call and the manner in which it was received
- What appliances attended
- the state of the fire when the fire service arrived
- what action the service has taken, particulary in entering the building and ventilating it after the fire
- what information the fire service has about the building’s security
- what alterations they have made to the scene (i.e they may have had to force windows)
- whether they think the fire is suspicious and why
- their opinions of the informant (i.e a person who regularly attends or reports fires may have lit them)
- details of people or vehicles acting suspiciously in the vicinity - If the fire is extinguished, ensure the safety of the scene before an initial conference is held with the Specialist Fire Investigator and Police, and conduct a preliminary examination of the scene
- If deemed suspicious, then re-group and hold a briefing conference
- Confer with other staff and determine a plan of action. Brief and deploy them to:
- guard and control the scene
- identify and interview witnesses at the scene
- conduct local enquiries - Contact communications and supply a SITREP. Ask for assistance if neccesary and the attendance of specialist (i.e FILO, photogrpaher, Fingerprint technician)
What is considered by the speicialist fire investigator in determining the seat of the fire?
- witness reports
- when they first noticed the fire and where they were at the time
- the state of the fire at the time
- wind direction and speed, and the weather
- the direction of the spread
- the colour of the flames and smoke (may determine cause i.e black smoke may indicate a petroleum product based fire)
- the severity of the damage (fire and heat usually rise, thus the area at the lowest level of burning with the most severe damage is often the place where the fire started)
- the depth of charring
- the presence of ‘starting devices’
- the reports and opinions of specialists
Possible witnesses at scenes are..
- the persons who found the fire, raised the alarm and informed Police or Fire Service
- FIre fighters
- occupants and their visitors
- owners
employees including cleaners and casual staff - neighbours
- spectators
- passers-by
- local Police
- patrols
- other police and security staff
- vendors and delivery people
- reporters and photographers
Interviewing witnesses at the scene
It is the purpose of these initial interviews to gain knowledge about the sequence of events before, during and after the fire that may have a bearing on the investigation
Ask about suspects and/Or other people’s movements and people who have left the scene. Also consider sourcing media photos to identify people at the scene
What are the scene secuity considerations for Police?
- ensuring the scene is not interfered with
- exclusion and control of on-lookers, property owners and other interested parties
- preserving evidence
- preventing looting
In relation to scene guarding a fire scene, what should attending Police be breifed on?
- be aware of re-ignition from hotspots after the fire is extinguished
- be vigilant and watch for possible suspects
- identify any witnesses amongst onlookers and passers-by
- report all matters of significance to the O/C investigation and/or fire scene coordinator
Preserving a fire scene
– To assist in preserving the scene as much as possible whilst fire fighting operations are in progress, the investigator should liaise with the fire incident commander to limit unnecessary operations within the area of origin, including a number of personnel inside a structure.
– Stop fire crews from removing fire debris from the structure to assist the owner/occupier after the fire.
– Scope - decide how much of the area needs to be preserved (Single room, entire building, a larger that includes a building or buildings or outside areas)
– Cordon the scene. Identify the centre of the scene, tape off outside (what is considered to be the most obvious item of evidence that is furthest away from the centre of the scene). In large scenes the natural boundaries could be used to dictate your zones
Common approach path
All traffic through the scene should be limited to corridors, i.e. the path which keeps disturbance of the scene to a minimum.
Ideally, the investigator should search the area to be used as corridors prior to them receiving any other traffic. This will reduce the possibility of evidence been introduced to the scene after the event. It will also reduce the possibility of evidence being damaged during subsequent fire inspections and investigations
Actions when scene preservation is difficult
In certain circumstances, such as demolition of specific areas due to safety, it maybe difficult to preserve the scene. In such cases the investigator must record the scene, prior to doing demolition by:
– Sketches
– Photos
– Plans
– Video recordings
This will assist in recalling the layout of the premises prior to the demolition works being carried out.
When dealing with the suspicious fatal fires, consideration should be given to storage of the removed spoil. This can be done in the cleared warm area of your scene if practical and should be clearly marked where the spoil has come from in your scene. This provides the investigator with a backstop should you need to revisit your search
What specialist personnel maybe required at a fire scene?
- A specialist fire investigator should be present at all scenes
- Fire Investigation Liasion Officer
- ESR scientist
- rural fire investigator
- photographer
- fingerprint technician
- explosives inspector
- electrical inspector
- building inspector
- insurane assessor
- accountant
- forensic mapper (or original floor plans)
- pathologist
- vehicle inspector
- civil aviation inspector
- mines inspector
- foresty expert
- agricultural expert
- marine surveyor
- heating engineer
- meteorologist
Following the briefing conference, the OC Investigation should..
The OC investigation should:
– appoint scene examiner
– appoint a crime scene Cordinator
– Advise the fire investigation liaison officer
– appoint Exhibits officer
What is the point of orgin?
The exact location at which:
- a component failed
- a fire was maliciously lit
- an accidental fire originated
What does an external examination take into account?
- Adjoining premises which often reveals accelerant containers, attempts at forced entry, broken windows and forced doors
- nearby alleyways/streets/driveways
- the yards and outbuildings of the fire affected property (these may reveal accelerant containers, missing contents from outbuildings, property run down or signs the business was struggling)
- The periphery of the structure itself
- what distance the debris was scattered
What may the damaged structure itself reveal?
- jemmy marks or other signs of forced entry on windows or doors
- window glass broken before the fire was ignited
- burn patterns above doors and windows and “V” shaped burn patterns on external cladding
When conducting a preliminary internal examination, what indicators should be taken note of?
- owner/occupier attitude during walk through
- signs of hardship (empty flats, shops to let etc)
- missing family photographs, furniture and personal items
- rifled premise
- burn patterns
- unusual odours
- low stock levels in commercial premises
- lack of clothing in wardrobes or drawer / position of clothes if not in wardrobe or drawers
- seperate unrelated seats of fire
- presence of accelerant containers or trails
- open filing cabinets or missing files
- building areas in need of repair
- forced entry into an empty till
What observations are taken note of and into account during a detailed internal examination?
- smoke deposits and burn patterns
- spalling (the cracking or chipping of concrete)
- removal of fire debris
- under floor inspection
- floor area burned through
- elimination of false low burns
- skirting board damage
- damage to wall studs
- damage to window sills and door edges
- soot deposits on window glass and craze patterns
- damage to roofing timbers
What are signs/indicators that a fire may have been deliberately lit?
- signs a crime has been committed and the property was burned to destroy evidence
- signs that a heater or other electrical applicance has been left on
- unusual burn patterns or unusual time factors
- evidence of intentional removal of valuable property or substituion of property
- signs that furniture was rearranged to create a fire base
- evidence of accelerants such as burning under or behind boards where liquid has run through the cracks, containers, unusally rapid spread or intensity of fire, multiple seats of fire, containers, uneven burning, traces in debris, smell
- signs that windows and skylights were open to create a draught
- evidence of intentional interference such as misdirecting fire fighters, hindering access, tampering with the alarm or sprinkler systems
- inconsistencies
- foreign material and objects that might be part of a device
What actions should be taken when an exhibit is located?
- Photopraphs in situ, label the exhibit and preserve them in containers
- Use approved arson kits if there are available. If not use any suitable containers such as unused four litre paint tins
- Take these control samples:
- charred timber and 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
What are the steps when conducting area enquires?
- Conduct area enquires by (for example) sending staff to interview people who work at other warehouses to see if there have been any other arson attempts
- Conduct a preliminary interview of the owner. Specifically find out:
- when the premises was last secured and by whom
- whether he or she knows the cause of the fire
- the detail of any suspects and any insurance
- type of business
- actions leading up to the fire - Note the owners demeanour during the preliminary interview
- Complete the interview and obtain, or arrange to obtain, formal statements from the informant, witnesses and owner
- Give your supervisor a SITREP. Be prepared to speak to this if required at the scene conference
Conferences must be held during the scene examination to assist you with what?
- planning further enquires
- reconstructing
- assessing information obtained
- identifying suspects
- establishing possible motives
Who could be in attendance at a scene conference?
- O/C CIB
- crime scene co-odinator
- FILO
- O/C Investigation
- investigating officers
- specialist fire investigator
- Police photographer
- fingerprint technician/SOCO
What is the purpose of a conference?
The conference forms the basis of your scene examination and risk assessment planning. All considerations must be documented and a detailed plan of action completed and agreed upon. This is also to include specific timings and specific roles for all parties at the scene.
Body removal
Where possible A forensic pathologist should be called and attend the scene, prior to body removal. Because of the fragile nature of the human body when burnt, investigators should plan the body removal very carefully. Consider the use of the disaster Victim identification team where applicable.
Packaging a body for removal
Best practice is that bubble wrap is used to secure the body parts and then packaged in a clearly marked and protected box of some form. During the search, the scene examiner should keep a look out for medically inserted pins, teeth or any protected finger skin to assist in identification
