Investigation

Question 1

Section 32 Fire Service Act 1975

Answer 1

Police to assist person in charge of fire brigade.

1) Authority of member in charge of Fire Service to be recognised by Polcice

2) Police to cooperate with the Fire Service in charge of

Question 2

Section 28 Fire Service Act 1975

Answer 2

Fire service powers:
Enter property, close roads, remove impeding vehicles, remove people in danger or interfering, do anything

These can used by Police, ONLY if called upon to do so by the member of the Fire Service in charge

Question 3

Fire Investigation Liaison Officer (FILO) key roles:

Answer 3

-Attend fire resulting in serious injuries or death
- Co-ordination of fire investigations for their area
-Arrange police attendance at fires
-Relationship with Fire Service Specialist Fire Investigators
-Fire investigation training for Police

Question 4

Specialist Fire Investigators

Answer 4

Fire service employees:
Attend and investigate:
-fire fatalities
-life threatening injuries
-suspicious structure fires
-fires in buildings where fire safety measures failed
- request of police

Question 5

Fire Scene Control - Notification and Handover

Answer 5

1) Fire has authority while fire in progress. Once extinguished and threat to property and life no longer exists it may be handed over

2) Fire will notify Police if it considers a fire may have been deliberately lit or considered suspicious. AND fatalities or serious injuries

3) where police attend and seek authority, Police investigation officer will confer with incident controls r

4) Fire service will not normally hand over a fire scene until danger of fire, structural collapse and exposure to dangerous products of combustion or other fire related hazards have been identified, and eliminated, isolated or minimised.

5) where multiple agencies are involved they will consult prior to any investigation or scene examination

6) The investigation plan will include an outline of how the investigation will proceed and the role of each agency

Question 6

Fire Scene - after it has been extinguished

Answer 6

Where Police command a scene, access is at their discretion.

Question 7

Non Intentional Causes of Fire

Answer 7

-Carelessness
-Faults
-Nature

Question 8

Initial Action when dealing with fires (not involving explosives)

Procedure on arrival:

Answer 8

1) Briefly interview informant
2) Secure and control the scene
3) initial interview of - Specialist Fire Investigator
- O/C of first appliance to attend the scene
4) Interview the incident controller at the scene and find out: time and manner of call - what appliances attended - what action service had taken, entering the building and ventilating it post fire - info service has on building security - alterations made to scene (doors, windows) - whether they think it’s suspicious - their opinions on informant
5) If the fire is extinguished, ensure safer of the scene before initial conference is held with Specialist Fire Investigator and conduct preliminary exam
6) if deemed suspicious then re-group and hold a briefing conference
7) confer with other staff and determine plan of action. Scene, witnesses and local enquiries
8) Contact comms and provide SITREP
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Question 9

Common Methods of setting fires

Answer 9

Candles: left to burn down onto a pile of combustible material

Chemical Igniters:
- Potassium permanganate, sugar and glycerine. PP and sugar are mixed 50/50 placed in container and surrounded by kindling. Leave Coca Cola like residue

-Potassium chlorate, sugar and sulphuric acid (fire fudge)

Electrical Apparatus:
- bar heater facing the wall
- iron left on a flat surface
- pop up toaster tied down
- pan of fat or flammable liquid left on the stove

Molotov cocktails

Question 10

Molotov cocktail

Answer 10

Most commonly = bottle filled with petrol, with a petrol soaked rag tied to or stuffed in the neck.

May also contain:
Polystyrene beads, rubber bands, soap flakes (slows burn while allowing it to keep same heat), soap powder, sugar or flour.
Materials that burn on impact eliminating a need for a wick.

Evidence of MC:
-traces of wick, often neck of a bottle
-pieces of bottle glass
-pieces of window glass from cocktails entry
- evidence of liquid flowing down walls

Question 11

S269 (1)

Answer 11

Intentional damage
(1)
Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years who -intentionally or recklessly
-destroys or damages
-any property
-if he or she knows or ought to know that danger to life is likely to result.

Question 12

269(2) (a)

Answer 12

Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who—
(a)
intentionally or recklessly, and without claim of right, destroys or damages any property in which that person has no interest;

Question 13

269(2)(b)

Answer 13

7 years;

-intentionally or recklessly,
-without claim of right,
-destroys or damages
-any property
-with intent to obtain any benefit, or with intent to cause loss to any other person.

Question 14

269(3)

Answer 14

Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who -intentionally
-destroys or damages
-any property with reckless disregard for the safety of any other property.

Question 15

S268

Answer 15

Attempted arson
Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years who attempts to commit arson in respect of any immovable property or any vehicle, ship, or aircraft.

Question 16

Benefit - Arson Crimes Act Meaning

Answer 16

267(4)
In this section and in section 269, benefit means any benefit, pecuniary advantage, privilege, property, service, or valuable consideration.

Question 17

Fire Service Specialist Fire Investigator will liaise with designated FILO or other police member for 4 specific matters:

Answer 17

1) handover at fire scenes
2) access to fire scenes
3) process for examination and investigation
4) identification and collection of evidence at fire scene

Question 18

Fire specialist investigators when determining the seat of the fire:

Answer 18

-Witness reports: when they first noticed the fire and where they were at the time. State of the fire at the time .
-Wind direction and speed, weather
-colour of flames and smoke
-severity of the damage
-depth of the charring
Presence of starter devices
-report and opinions from other specialists

Question 19

Examples of carelessness that might start fire:

Answer 19

-misuse of electricity
-children playing with matches, lighters
-burning off paint
-vagrants lighting fires
-welding and other industrial processes
-clothes near heaters
-fireworks
-Leaving stove or heater on
-fat unattended while cooking.

Question 20

Materials used to start fires

Answer 20

-Molotov Cocktails
-Candles
-chemical igniters
-electrical apparatus
-matches and cigarettes

Question 21

Police Responsibly at a fire scene and investigation

Answer 21

-conduct criminal or coronial enquiry
-undertake responsibility for the protection, collection and recording of forensic evidence
-collection and removal of material from a crime scan will only be done by Police or other agencies with Police authority
-preservation, analysis and subsequent disposition of any such material

Question 22

Scene security considerations for Police

Answer 22

-ensure scene is not interfered with
Exclusion and control on lookers, property owners and other parties
-preserve evidence
-prescient looting

Question 23

Preliminary Scene Examination (internal) note indicators:

Answer 23

-low stock levels in commercial premises
-building areas in need of repair
-signs of hardship
-miss family photos, furniture, personal items
-forced opened till
-presence of accelerant containers
-owner / occupier attitude
-burn patterns
-odours

Question 24

Detailed Internal Examination

Answer 24

Accom and SFI while they compete a detailed exam, they will observe and note the following:

-smoke deposits and burn patterns
-spalling (cracking or chipping of concrete)
-damage wall studs
-damage to roofing timbers
Floor areas burn…
-underfloor inspection

Question 25

At the end of the exam SFI will be able to determine:

Answer 25

-area of origin
-point of origin
-the seat of the fire

Question 26

SFI to determine seat if the fire. They will consider m/

Answer 26

-witness reports
-when they noticed the fire and what time
-state of the fire at that town
-wind direction and speed
-colour of flames and smoke
-severity of damage
-depth of charring
-starting devices
Report and opinions of other specialists

Question 27

Exhibits

Answer 27

1) Photo in situ, label and preserve them in containers

2)use approved arson kits

3) take these control samples
-charred timber and ashes of debris from the seat of the fire
-any accelerants found near the scene
-soil from the surrounding area.

Question 28

Area enquires

Answer 28

1) Conduct area enquires, Eg sending staff to other warehouses to see if they have been subject to any arson attempts

2) prelim interview of the owner:
-when the premises were last secure and by whom
-if they know the cause of the fire
-detail any suspects and details of insurance
-type of business
-actions leading to the fire

3) note owners demeanour

4) complete interviews / arrange from informat, witnesses and owner

5) SITREP

Question 29

Fire scene conferences are held to assist with what?

Answer 29

-assessing information obtained
-reconstructing
-establishing possible motives
-identifying suspects
-planning further enquiries

Question 30

General Enquiries Procedures (fire not involving explosives)

Answer 30

1) submit articles to ESR as early as possible
2) issue an OR
3) obtain written reports - SFI can supply: CAD, fire investigation report
4) to stimulate the flow of information and ID of suspects, consider: media release, bulletin boards, Staff at line up
5) plan enquires and ensure these people are interviewed. Owner, last to secure the building, person who found the fire, informant
6) consider area canvass
7) Think about, motives, victims reputation
8) contact the insurance company and obtain: services of assessor to value the building and damage, their insurance particulars, insurance policies
9) look into similar local fires
10) inform intel and FILO
11) Met service at the time of the fire for weather conditions
12) maintain contact with the owner of the property
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Question 31

First questions in relation to electrical fire

Answer 31

-Was the power to the building live?
-Was the power to the area of the building where the fire was started live?
-Electrical continuity to the suspected electrical heat source

Question 32

Fires involving explosives- initial action

Answer 32

1) Consider there could be a secondary device m. Do not handle or interfere with anything unfamiliar
2) do not use cell phones, portable radios or other transmitting devices
3) evacuate the scene to a distance of at least 100m.
4) if IED is located, immediately obtain the assistance of an IED operator from the department of labour.
5) SITREP

Question 33

Examining the scene of a fire involving explosives:

Answer 33

1) once it has been deemed safe. Conduct an exam. Use video and photographs.
2)remember to continually reconstruct
3) requests attendance of ESR analyst.

Question 34

S72 Crimes Act

Answer 34

Attempts
(1)
Every one who, having an intent to commit an offence, does or omits an act for the purpose of accomplishing his or her object, is guilty of an attempt to commit the offence intended, whether in the circumstances it was possible to commit the offence or not.
(2)
The question whether an act done or omitted with intent to commit an offence is or is not only preparation for the commission of that offence, and too remote to constitute an attempt to commit it, is a question of law.
(3)
An act done or omitted with intent to commit an offence may constitute an attempt if it is immediately or proximately connected with the intended offence, whether or not there was any act unequivocally showing the intent to commit that offence.

Question 35

S272

Answer 35

Providing explosive to commit crime
2 years who -
-
knowingly has in his or her possession or makes any explosive substance, or any dangerous engine, instrument, or thing, with intent to use or enable another person to use the substance, dangerous engine, instrument, or thing, to commit an offence.

Question 36

Suspect Enquiries

Answer 36

1) Identify suspects (circumstances of the fire, DNA, Fingerprints, Media response etc)
2) Possible suspects
3) investigate suspects: obtain - full particulars, criminal history, vehicles, associates and photo
4) consider surveillance
5) enquiries to establish: motive, opportunity, men rea, connection to the crime scene, character
6) SW for EM
7) Interview suspect
8) consider photo montage
9) enquiries to negate or corroborate suspects explanation
10) adivise supervisor and consider if ingredients have been established. Obtain authority to prosecute
11) arrest suspect and obtain FP, DNA, photographs, consider medical report
12) Prosecution file

Question 37

Identifying the explosive:

Answer 37

1) Give priority to identifying the explosive used. The expert may be able to advise of the explosive used by the type of damage done. As a rule the more powerful the explosive the less residue left
2) a low powered explosive will explode in a general manner. Causing damage an d spreading debris over the same distance in all directions. Such explosive need to be contained to be powerful - eg pipe bomb.
3) explosives between 1200-5000 mps are characterised by the fact damage occurs in the line of least resistance. Eg windows and door.
4) more than 5000mps are a more directional manner
5) because modern explosive residue are often slight and dissipate rapidly, OC scene may need to authorise the expert to enter the centre of the scene before it has been fully examined. - can create a path with unused roll of plastic or stelling plates, have ESR swabbing
6) it may also be necessary to move body parts promptly before they decompose.
7)record impressions of any odours detected
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