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CIB Modules > Arson Investigations > Flashcards

Arson Investigations Flashcards

1
Q

What powers does S.28 of the Fire Services Act 1975 confer?

A

-Power to enter private property when it is on fire or endangered
-Power to close roads
-Power to remove vehicles impeding fire service
-Power to remove people who are in danger of interfering with operations, using reasonable force if necessary
-Power to do anything else that is reasonably necessary for the protection of life and property

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1
Q

What does S.32(2) of the Fire Services Act 1975 enable Police staff to do?

A

S. 32(2) of the Fire Services Act enables Police staff to exercise the powers listed in S.28 of the Fire Services Act when called upon to do so by a member of the Fire Service

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2
Q

In what circumstances will a specialist fire investigator be called on to attend and investigate a fire?

A
  • Fires where fatalities occur
  • Fires where serious/life threatening fire related injuries occur
  • Structure fires where the cause is suspicious or cannot be determined
  • Significant fire spread across a property boundary
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3
Q

What are the responsibilities of the Fire Service Investigation Liaison Officer? (FSILO)

A

The FSILO has the responsibility for:

  • Arranging the Fire Service specialist fire investigator attendance at fire scenes when requested by Police
  • Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with relevant Police Fire Investigation Liasion Officers (FILOS)
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4
Q

What will the Specialist Fire Investigator liaise with the FILO over?

A
  • Handover of the fire scene
  • Access to the fire scene
  • Process for examination and investigation
  • identification and collection of evidence at the fire scene
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5
Q

What clothing protection should be worn by Police staff when investigating arson scenes?

A
  • A suitable helmet (complies with relevant safety standard)
  • Pair of overalls
  • Nose & mouth filter (or) full face respirator (if qualified)
  • Safety Glasses
  • Heavy duty footwear with steel toes/caps
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6
Q

What are the most common building materials found in structures & their weaknesses?

A
  • Timber: Burns & chars, may collapse
  • Concrete: Spalling; when trapped moisture is heated & explodes, may giveway
    -Steel: Expands when heated & contracts when cooled, may collapse/fall
  • Masonry: Deteriorates the mortar which can lead to cracking, bowing or leaning
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7
Q

What are some common methods for starting fires?

A
  • Candles
  • Matches & cigarettes
  • Electric matches
  • Trailers (material laid out to lead fire towards object)
  • Electrical devices
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8
Q

In what ways can fires naturally start?

A
  • Lightning
  • Chemical reactions
  • Suns rays
  • Static electricity
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9
Q

What are the initial action steps at an arson not involving explosives?

A
  • Secure & control scene
  • Ensure safety of scene before initial conference with SFI & Police
    -Interview with incident controller on scene
  • Initial interview of the SFI & OC first fire appliance at scene
  • Briefly interview the informant/witnesses
  • Conduct preliminary examination
  • Regroup and hold a briefing conference
  • Confer with other staff & determine a plan of action
  • Contact comms & give sitrep
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10
Q

What are some examples of ways in which an electrical apparatus can be used to start a fire?

A
  • A heater turned to face a wall or item of furniture
  • An iron left face down
  • A toaster held down so it doesn’t switch off
  • A pan of fat or similar left on the stove to heat
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11
Q

Who at the scene should be interviewed?

A
  • Owner/occupier of the house
  • The informant/person who called emergency services
  • The last person to secure the property
  • Bystanders/ people loitering
  • Media
  • Local Police
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12
Q

What action should be taken if it is difficult to preserve the scene and or it needs to be demolished?

A

You must record the scene by:
- Sketches
- Photographs
- Plans
- Video recordings

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13
Q

When conducting and external examination of the scene what should be taken into account?

A
  • The adjoining premises which often reveal accelerant containers, attempts at forced entry, broken windows & forced doors
  • Nearby alleyways, streets & driveways
  • Yard & outbuilding of the fire affected property
  • What distance debris was scattered
  • Damage to the structure itself, jimmy marks, forced doors, broken glass from before the fire
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14
Q

What does seat of fire mean?

A

The seat of the fire is the area where the main body of the fire is located

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15
Q

What will the SFI consider when determining the seat of the fire?

A
  • Wind direction and speed
  • Witness reports
  • The direction of spread & colour of flames
  • The presence of starting devices
  • The severity of the damage
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16
Q

Why are Conferences held and who should attend them?

A

Conferences are held during the scene examination to assist with:
- Assessing information gained
- Reconstructing the scene
- Identifying suspects
- Establishing possible motives
- Planning further enquiries

People who attend could include:
-SFI
-FILO
-O/C CIB
- O/C Investigation
- SOCO/Photography

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17
Q

When a suspect has been identified you should make enquiries to establish what?

A

You should make enquiries to establish the suspects:

-Opportunity
- Motive
- Means Rea (guilty mind)
- Connection with the scene & crime
- Character, mental background, history
- Movements & behaviour

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18
Q

What are some examples of evidence that may link a suspect to an arson scene?

A

Evidence could include:

  • Burnt skin/hair
  • Smell of smoke on clothing
  • Products of combustion on skin (residual fuel, ash etc.)
  • Presence of accelerants or relevant materials
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19
Q

What are some common electrical ignition sources & techniques?

A
  • Heaters & clothing (clothes too close or on top of)
  • Electrical lamp & petrol (petrol injected inside bulb & igniting when turned on)
  • Toaster with nearby curtains (toaster manipulated to stay on)
  • Fallen lamp onto combustible materials
  • Electric urns, bread makers, water heaters & deep fryers
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20
Q
A
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21
Q

What are some characteristics of damage caused by explosions?

A
  • Cratering
  • Spread of debris
  • Shredding of materials
  • Peculiar smell of debris or scene
  • Overlay of dust
  • Shrapnel marks
22
Q

What should you consider when using an arson kit?

A
  • That samples/exhibits aren’t/ cant be cross contaminated
  • All containers are labelled clearly & sealed
  • Liquid samples are secure & isolated from other exhibits
  • Arson kit is forwarded as a unit, even if only one container used
23
Q

What action should be taken when processing liquid samples?

A

All liquid samples should be:
- Placed into bottles provided
- Sealed tightly
- Outside of the container cleaned
- Placed into polystyrene box if possible, otherwise arson tin
- Hand delivered where possible

24
Q

What are some examples of a fire being caused by carelessness?

A
  • Kids playing with matches or lighters
  • Ironing
  • Setting off fireworks
  • Smoking
25
Q

What are some of the responsibilities of the FILO?

A
  • Attend every fire that results in serious injury or death
  • Arrange for Police attendance at fire scene when required
  • Assist area & District with fire investigation related inquiries
  • Co-ordinate fire investigation training for Police in the area/district
26
Q

If you are attending a fire scene what should you be asking with the Incident controller when you arrive?

A

You should be asking the incident controller:

  • Time and date the call was made and the manner it was received
  • What appliances attended
  • What state the fire was in when they arrived
  • Whether they thought the fire was suspicious and if so, why?
27
Q

What are the three categories of non-intentional causes of fire?

A
  • Nature
  • Faults
  • Carelessness
28
Q

What are some examples of a fire being caused by a fault?

A
  • Appliance failure
  • Damaged power lines/ electrical fault
  • Gas pipe & fitting issues
  • Fans & ventilation systems malfunctioning
29
Q

Name four things that the SFI and the FILO discuss?

A
  • Handover of the scene
  • Access to the scene (who, where, when & why)
  • Process for examination and investigation
  • Identification & collection of evidence at the fire scene
30
Q

List four things you may find within a fire scene that may suggest it was wilfully caused?

A
  • Evidence of explosives
  • Evidence of accelerants
  • Evidence of intentional interference
  • Purposeful removal of valuable property
31
Q

What powers does S.42 FENZ Act 2017 convey on the authorised person in charge of the fire site?

A

S.42 of the FENZ Act 2017 conveys the power to:

  • Enter any land, building or structure
  • Break into any building or structure that may be on fire or otherwise endangered near the emergency
  • Take or send any equipment or machine required to be used into any land, building or structure
  • Remove from any land, building or structure that is on fire or otherwise endangered or near the emergency, any; flammable, combustible, explosive or dangerous material found there
  • Cause any building or structure that is on fire or otherwise endangered, or that is adjacent or in the vicinity of the emergency to be pulled down or shored up, either partially or fully
  • Cause any building or structure to be pulled down or shored up (partially or fully) at the time of the emergency or within a reasonable time afterwards
32
Q

When guarding and controlling a fire scene Police should?

A

When guarding and controlling a fire scene Police should:

  • Watch for possible suspects
  • Avoid interference with the scene
  • Prevent looting
  • Prevent further fire damage
  • Preserve evidence
33
Q

What is the three step exhibit process for a fire scene?

A
  1. Photograph in-situ, label exhibits & preserve them in containers
  2. Use approved arson kits if available, if not, suitable containers
  3. Take the following control samples:
    - Charred timber & ashes from the seat of the fire
    - Any accelerant found in or around the scene
    - Soil from the areas surrounding the scene
34
Q

Define the ‘Point of Origin’ in relation to fire scenes?

A

The point of origin is the exact location at which:
- A component failed (or)
- A fire was maliciously lit (or)
- An accidental fire occurred

35
Q

What should the SFI be able to determine at the conclusion of their investigation?

A

They should be able to determine:

  • The area of origin
  • The point of origin
  • The seat of the fire
36
Q

What things should you be looking out for during the preliminary internal scene examination that may suggest the fire was deliberate?

A
  • Missing family photos, valuables & personal items
  • Open filing cabinets or missing files
  • Lack of clothing in drawers or wardrobes
  • Signs of hardship (empty shops, property’s for rent)
  • Building areas in need of repair
37
Q

What things should you be looking out for during the detailed internal examination of a fire scene?

A
  • Smoke deposits & burn patterns
  • Damage to wall studs
  • Damage to roof timbers
  • Damage to window sills and door edges (forced entry)
  • Floor areas burnt through
38
Q

When conducting and external examination what may the area surrounding the fire scene reveal?

A

The area surrounding the fire scene may reveal:

  • Discarded accelerant containers
  • Contents of outbuildings missing (petrol can etc.)
  • The property is generally run-down
  • The business appears to be struggling (insurance fraud)
39
Q

What might the external examination of the damaged structure itself reveal?

A
  • Signs of forced entry on doors or windows (jimmy marks)
  • Window glass that was broken before the fire was ignited
  • Burn patterns above doors and windows (v shaped burn patterns showing the seat of the fire)
40
Q

What should the preliminary interview with the owner/occupier cover?

A

Things that should be covered during the preliminary interview with the owner/occupier are:

  • Type of business
  • When the premises last secured
  • Actions leading up to the fire
  • Whether they know what caused the fire
  • Any insurance details or possible suspects
41
Q

What steps must be taken during the initial action stage of an investigation into a fire involving explosives?

A
  1. Do not handle or interfere with anything unfamiliar, there may be a secondary device still within the scene
  2. Do not use cellphones, radios or other transmitting devices within the scene
  3. Evacuate the scene so that everyone is at least 100m away, ensuring that the people leaving the scene take their belongings with them
  4. Consider the use of an explosive detector dog
  5. If IED is located request assistance immediately from the IED operator at the department of labour
  6. Give regular sitreps to comms
42
Q

What may assist you in identifying a suspect
(Suspect Enquiries Step 1)

A

Things that may assist in identifying a suspect could include:
- The circumstances of the fire
- Fingerprints
- Informant/Witness information
- Media responses
- Assistance from Intel or FILO

43
Q

Who may be possible suspects for these types of crime
(Suspect Enquires Step 2)

A

Suspects may include:
- Owner/occupier (insurance fraud)
- Employee (cover theft, forgery)
- An aggrieved person suffering from jealousy, hatred, rage etc.
- A pyromaniac
- A criminal covering up/destroying evidence of another crime

44
Q

What are the Police’s responsibilities in regards to a fire scene?

A

Police are responsible for:
-Conducting the criminal investigation and or the coronial enquiry
- Protecting, collecting and recording of any evidence
- Collecting and removing this evidence from the scene
- Preservation, analysis & disposal of this evidence or authorising this work by another agency on the Police’s behalf

45
Q

What does S.44 FENZ Act 2017 allow an authorised person to do?

A

S.44 FENZ Act 2017 enables an authorised person to:

  • Shut off water from any main or pipe in order to obtain greater water pressure & supply
  • Close any road or railway in the vicinity of the emergency
  • Remove any vehicle impeding fire service & break in if necessary
  • Remove any person who is interfering with operations or is in danger
  • Shut off or disconnect the supply of gas, fuel, oil or electricity to any building on fire or within the vicinity
  • Do anything necessary to preserve life and prevent damage to property or land
46
Q

According to the NZ Police and FENZ MOU in what circumstances will FENZ notify Police of a fire?

A

FENZ will notify Police of any fire if:
- The fire results in serious injury or death
- The fire is considered suspicious

47
Q

What is a Special Fire Investigator (SFI)

A

A special fire investigator is a member of the fire service who typically possesses extensive experience in firefighting and fire safety who has received specialist training & assessment in fire investigation techniques

48
Q

Can you set fire to your own property? If so are there any circumstances where you cannot?

A

You can set fire to your own property, unless;
- There is a danger to life by doing so
- You intend to cause loss to any person
- You intend to obtain some benefit from doing so

49
Q

What are some signs of a gas explosion?

A
  • Gas explosions cover a wide area generally
  • Cabinets implode
  • Medical evidence (occupants inhaling gas)
50
Q

What are some injuries that could be caused by the hazards present within an fire scene?

A
  • Inhalation of toxic substances
  • Injection from sharp objects
  • Items falling from above you
  • Tripping on fire debris
51
Q

What are some ways that an offender could be linked to the scene of an explosion?

A
  • Fingerprints/handwriting
  • IED operator may have identifiable signature
  • Items from suspects home that could manufacture a device
  • Seek advice from an explosive expert before searching
52
Q

What are the eight stages of systematically examining a fire scene?

A
  • Prepare and organise staff, equipment, clear area, assign roles
  • Prepare examination and arrange for site to be examined
  • Interview any witnesses
  • Examine the exterior of scene
  • Conduct detailed internal examination
  • Identify cause of fire
  • Photograph, label & preserve evidence
  • Conduct area enquiries
53
Q

What are some things that should be considered when establishing a fire scene ?

A
  • Scope; how much area needs to be preserved
  • Cordon; make them as wide as practical, consider spread of evidence
  • Common approach path; establish one and ensure that everyone is aware of where it is

CIB Modules (12 decks)

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