Initial Action - Fire Flashcards
Initial Action - Fires
INITIAL ACTION - FIRE
- Briefly interview your informant (could be offender)
- Secure and control the scene
- Initial interview of Specialist Fire Investigator and O/C of the first fire appliance to attend the scene.
- Interview incident controller at scene
- Once safe, hold initial conference and conduct prelim exam of scene (if suspicious regroup)
- Brief and deploy staff to control scene, interview witnesses, area enquiries
- Request specialist units
What to Ask the Incident Controller
INCIDENT CONTROLLER QUESTIONS (must liaise)
- Time, date of call and manner it was received
- What appliances attended
- State of the fire when fire service arrived
- What actions fire service has taken
- Any information fire service has about building security
- Any alterations made to the scene
- Whether they think the fire is suspicious/why
- Opinions on informant
- Details of people/vehicle acting suspicious in area
Controlling The Scene
CONTROLLING THE SCENE/SCENE SECURITY
- Ensure scene is not interfered with
- Preserve evidence
- Prevent looting
- Exclusion of on-lookers, property owners
- Be vigilant/looking for possible suspects/witnesses
- Be aware of re-ignition from hot spots
Report all matters of significance to O/C investigation and scene coordinator
Preserving The Scene
PRESERVING THE SCENE
- Scope: How much needs to be preserved
- Cordon: Identify centre and make as wide as practicable
- Common Approach Path: Limit traffic to ‘corridors’ which will make minimal disturbance
- Difficult: Sketches, photos, plans videos
Scene Exam Method and Approach
Examined systematically, from inside out. Commencing in undamaged area and progressively working through point of origin.
Personnel
- Specialist fire investigator, ESR, building/electrical/ explosives inspector, pathologist etc. O/C should appoint exhibits officer, crime scene coordinator, scene examiner, advised the FILO
External Exams to Take Into Account
EXTERNAL EXAM
- Surrounding area may reveal distance debris scattered, accelerant containers, missing contents of building, property run down, business struggling
- Adjoining premises can reveal accelerant containers, attempts at forced entry, broken windows, forced doors
- Damage structure itself may reveal signs of forced entry, glass broken prior to fire, burn patterns in V shapes
Exterior Exam - Fire Still Burning
Gather information about wind direction, bystanders, where hoses have entered, smoke colour, flame colour,
Preliminary Internal Exam
PRELIM INTERNAL EXAM
- From area of least damage to most taking note of;
- Building areas in need of repair, signs of hardship, missing family photographs/personal items, lack of clothing/position of clothing, open filing cabinets, presence of accelerants, unusual odours, owner/occupier attitude
After Prelim Internal Exam
PRELIM INTERNAL EXAM COMPLETE
FURTHER CONFERENCE
Hold another conference with all involved parties to plan course of action. The plan/considerations made in formulating it should be documented in a decision log. Confirm that all parties agree, set your timings and specific roles. Conduct a site risk assessment and develop a site safety plan that is relayed to those entering the site.
Detailed Internal Exam
DETAILED INTERNAL EXAM W SFI
- Smoke deposits/burn patterns
- Spalling (cracking concrete)
- Damage to wall studs, roofing timbers, windows sills, door edges, skirting boards
- Soot deposits on window glass and craze patterns
- Floor areas burned through
- Elimination of false low burns, removal of fire debris, under floor inspection.
Specialist Fire Investigator (SFI) Be Able to Determine
- Area of origin/point of origin/seat of the fire
Determining the Seat of the Fire
DETERMINING SEAT OF THE FIRE SFI WILL
- Consider: Witness reports, when they first noticed the fire, where they were at the time, the state of the fire at that time
- Wind direction and speed, and the weather
- The direction of spread
- Colour of the flames and smoke
- Severity of the damage
- The depth of charring
- Presence of ‘starting devices’
- Reports and opinions of other specialists.
Evidence of Wilful Causes
WILFUL CAUSES LOOK FOR
- Evidence of accelerants, such as - containers, smell, uneven burning, burning under boards where the liquid has run through the cracks
- Evidence of intentional tampering, such as alarm/sprinkler system, hindering access, misdirecting fire fighters, evidence of intentional removal of valuable property, foreign material and objects, signs a crime had been committed, signs that a heater/electrical appliance has been left on
Purpose of Conference
PURPOSE OF CONFERENCE
- Assessing information obtained, reconstruction, establishing motives, identifying suspects, planning further enquiries
- Are vital to a successful scene examination and ultimately a successful investigation. Forms the basis of your scene examination and risk assessment planning
- Attendees: O/C CIB/Investigation, crime scene co-ordinator, FILO, SFI, photography, fingerprinting/SOCO
Dealing with Exhibits
DEALING WITH EXHIBITS
- Photograph in situ, label and preserve exhibits
- Use approved arson kits or any suitable containers (if not available used things such as paint tins)
- Take control samples - charred timber/ashes/debris from seat of the fire for exam and comparison with samples from other points, any accelerants found near scene, soil from surrounding area
Witnesses At Scene
WHO TO TALK TO AT SCENE
- Person who found fire / Firefighters
- Occupants / Visitors / Owners
- Employees
- Neighbours
- Spectators / Passerby’s
- Reports / Photographers
Prelim with Owner/Occupier
When premises were last secured and by whom, whether they know cause fire, details of any suspects and any insurance, actions leading up to the fire
Suspect Enquiries (Fire)
SUSPECT ENQUIRIES (1)
1 - May identify suspects by circs of fire, fingerprints, media response, intel, YAS, prisons, schools
2 - Possible suspects owner/occupier, employee, PRN, pyromaniac, ex pupil, business competitor, fire service
3 - Obtain full particulars, crim histories, associated vehicles, details of associates,
4 - Consider surveillance
Suspect Enquiries (Fire)
SUSPECT ENQUIRIES (2)
5 - Establish suspects opportunity, motive, mens rea, connection to scene, character, mental background
6 - Consider search warrant
7 - Interview suspect / 8 - Consider ID parade/montage
9 - Complete enquiries to corroborate/negate
10 - Advise supervisor/offence ingredients
11 - Arrest suspect
12 - Complete correspondence/prosecution
SW Considerations
SEARCH WARRANT CONSIDERATIONS (step 6)
- Search suspect’s clothing, residence, motor vehicle and work-place. Evidence could include: accelerants, igniters, containers.
- Photograph evidence in situ before seizing
- Ask for/note the suspect’s explanation re evidence
- Issue 268 for any property seized and ensure all exhibits seized are labelled ready for exhibits officer.
Report to be Submitted
REPORT TO COVER
- Introduction (location, complainants, brief summary)
- Information about property (layout, condition)
- Details of fire and events leading up
- Value of damage
- Result of investigation (reasons, opinions)
- Insurance info (assessors reports, policies)
- Result of general enquiries (witnesses, canvasses, suspects, CHIS)
Seat of Fire Etc
Seat of the Fire - The area where the main body of the fire is located, as determined by the outward movement of heat and gases; where the fire is deep-seated.
Point of Origin - The place/location where a fire starts/at which a component failed, fire was maliciously lit, or an accidental fire originated.
Area of Origin – Area surrounding point of origin that needs to be preserved. Area that will still be of relevance to investigation – could be size of room, size of house or in forest fires much larger.
