Fire Origin & Cause Investigations Flashcards
What are the THREE BASIC CAUSES OF FIRE?
- Natural
- Accidental
- Incendiary
What is the TFD Investigator Call Out Criteria?
- Suspicious, or incendiary or explosion where you have and identifiable suspect.
- Suspicious or incendiary fire loss > $1000.00
- Fire or explosion, any cause, with death.
- Fire or explosion, any cause, where person needs emergency treatment.
- Fire or explosion, any cause, where loss is > $10,000.00
- Regardless of cause, any vehicle or structure fire or explosion where the act or omission of the incident cannot be determined.
What are some natural causes of fire?
– Lightning / Sunlight
– Extreme Weather Conditions
– Spontaneous Combustion
What are some accidental causes of fire?
(does not involve a deliberate act to ignite or spread fire into an area where the fire should not be)
– Mechanical / Electrical Malfunctions
– Carelessness
– Stupidity
What is an incendiary fire?
(leads to the crime of arson)
– A fire that has been deliberately ignited under circumstances in which the person knows the fire should not be ignited
– You can not have an incendiary fire if you can not eliminate ALL accidental causes
When trying to preserve evidence at a fire scene should you move controls, change the position of switches, etc?
No
What is the fire investigator responsibility?
-To determine the true and accurate origin of the fire
-To determine the true and accurate cause of the fire
And only in that order…
Fire suppression forces have four functions with respect to fire investigation on the scene what are they?
Observation
Recognition
Preservation
Notification