Instructions
Fire Investigation Report
1. Prepare a final fire investigation report summarizing your findings and conclusions in a methodical manner. You should incorporate the knowledge that you have gained thus far in this course to ensure that your approach is scientific and addresses the requirements of a thorough fire investigation.
Click
here
to access the details for the incident as well as photographic evidence from the fire scene. (See attachment)
2. As you will see in the linked document, the report requires you to provide a sufficient narrative and to address, at a minimum, the following topics in your report:
A. origin of fire (locations and fuels);
B. extent of damage (from source to final point or points of ignition);
C. causation, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) classifications;
D. evidence
E. estimated value of overall loss (for insurance company report).
3. Note: All of the missing values in this project should be simulated and based on values known or found from publications or Internet research. They should be as real-world as possible in order to reflect a real case scenario.
4. You may use a standardized fire report template from your own workplace, or you may simply follow the outline in the document to create your narrative and report all findings.
5. Your fire investigation report should summarize your findings and conclusions in a logical and organized manner. You should describe the process that you use as you document the evidence. Assume that this is a fire report that may later be used in a criminal investigation or prosecution. Remember, details, proper procedure, evidence, and the utilization of relevant science may make or break the case.
6. Your report should be a minimum of three pages in length, not counting the title and reference pages. External sources used in your report or narrative sections should be properly cited, and references should be formatted in APA style.
FIR 4305, Fire Investigation and Analysis 1
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Correlate the characteristics of fire loss and arson necessary to conduct fire investigation and
analysis.
1.1 Explain the basic elements of fire dynamics and the chemistry of combustion.
1.2 Explain the skills necessary for an investigator to display in cause and origin investigations.
3. Analyze a fire scenario utilizing the scientific method and other appropriate methodologies.
3.1 Explain the methodology for examining a structure fire scene.
3.2 Explain various methods used to document a fire scene.
4. Explain the legal foundation for conducting incendiary fire investigation and case preparation.
4.1 Explain the key elements involved in an arson scene investigation.
7. Summarize the fire investigator’s role involving fire-related deaths and injuries.
7.1 Evaluate a fire scene to obtain necessary information related to deaths and/or injuries.
8. Analyze explosions and explosive combustion.
8.1 Explain key safety considerations when investigating clandestine drug lab or explosive fires.
Course/Unit
Learning Outcomes
Learning Activity
1.1
Chapter 12
Unit VIII Project
1.2
Unit Lesson
Chapter 12
Unit VIII Project
3.1
Unit Lesson
Chapter 12
Unit VIII Project
3.2
Unit Lesson
Chapter 12
Unit VIII Project
4.1
Unit Lesson
Chapter 12
Unit VIII Project
7.1
Unit Lesson
Chapter 12
Unit VIII Project
8.1
Unit Lesson
Chapter 12
Unit VIII Project
Chapter 12: Fire Deaths and Injuries
UNIT VIII STUDY GUIDE
Fire Investigations Involving
Death and Injury
FIR 4305, Fire Investigation and Analysis 2
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
Unit Lesson
Some of the most complex fire investigations that an investigator will ever be involved in are those involving
deaths and injuries. Many other agencies will likely be involved in fatal fire investigations, which requires fire
investigators to coordinate with others and ask for outside assistance. In this unit, we will address fire-related
deaths and injuries in order to provide a better understanding of the complicated nature of these incidents as
well as help identify resources that the investigator may rely on in his or her investigation.
Fire-Related Deaths and Injuries
While everyone is at risk to death or injury in a fire, the statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration (2018b)
clearly show that some of us face a much higher risk than others. People over the age of 50, and particularly
those over 85, are at higher risk of perishing in a fire. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (2018b),
“Males are 1.6 times more likely to die in a fire than females. African Americans and American Indians/Alaska
Natives are at a greater relative risk of dying in a fire than the general population” (p. 1). Income levels are
inversely proportional to fire death and injury risks—the higher the income level the lower the risk. “The
relative risk of dying in a fire was greatest for people living in the South and Midwest when compared to
populations living in other regions of the United States” (U.S. Fire Administration, 2018b, p. 1). All of these
factors compound for those who find themselves in multiple categories of higher risk populations (U.S. Fire
Administration, 2018b).
Behaviors also impact the likelihood of one being injured or dying in a fire. The use of alcohol or drugs
decreases a person’s perception and reaction times, which increases vulnerabilities. Having working smoke
detectors has proven to be one of the most effective ways of reducing the chances of a person being injured
in a fire. It is estimated that only 3% of all homes do not have smoke detectors (U.S. Fire Administration,
2018b) while approximately 70% of all fire deaths occur in homes that do not have working smoke detectors
(U.S. Fire Administration, 2018a). While fatal fires account for less than 1% of all fires, they have devastating
outcomes, accounting for six times the dollar loss and 11 times the injury rate per fire compared to non-fatal
fires (U.S. Fire Administration, 2018b).
The overall average for fire fatalities is six civilian fatalities for every 1,000 residential fires. Overall, from 2014
to 2016, over 3,300 civilians died in 1,700 fatal fires out of over 375,000 residential fires. Most fire fatalities
occurred between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., and most were in the winter months, with January having the highest
percentage (U.S. Fire Administration, 2018a). Smoke inhalation was the leading cause of death in over 36%
of fatal fires. Smoking and unintentional/carelessness were the top fire causes in fatal residential fires (U.S.
Fire Administration, 2018a).
The following video is a unique opportunity to look at a fatal fire from the inside. This video shows how teens
who are out for a little mischief can do hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of damage, tie up community
resources, and then face the possibility of death. Click the link below to access the video.
WIVBTV. (2017, March 25). Cell phone videos show moments before fatal Lockport fire [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7kp8AOxZiU
Click here to access the transcript for the video.
In the next video, you get to see how the police, prosecutors, and fire department are intertwined in the
investigative efforts of the same case as highlighted in the previous video. The importance of documentation
is also highlighted as the surviving teen’s family begins to coach him on his testimony. Click the link below to
access the video.
WIVBTV. (2017, March 27). Only on 4: Interrogation video shows police questioning teen, parents in fatal
Lockport fire [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33_W9gvWd1c
Click here to access the transcript for the video.
https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-113825665_1
https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-113825667_1
FIR 4305, Fire Investigation and Analysis 3
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
Collaboration in Investigating Fire Deaths
Fire investigators work as a team with other professionals in order to properly process a fire scene that
involves fatalities. The work must not only be thorough and complete but also be performed in a way that
preserves evidentiary value and ensures admissibility of the findings during the possible criminal investigation
and prosecution. Professionals from several offices may be involved in a fire scene with fatalities. This can
include the investigator; medical examiner or coroner; crime scene personnel, such as evidence technicians,
forensic photographers, and police detectives; and laboratory personnel, such as pathologists and
toxicologists. Together, the team works to determine what happened at the scene. These professionals each
contribute vital analysis and a piece of the larger picture. They work together as a team on the investigation to
ascertain a complete picture of the incident (Icove et al., 2013).
Causes of Fire Deaths
Lethal agents in fires generally act in a synergistic fashion to overcome the victim and may include heat,
smoke, toxic gases, hypoxia, flames, and blunt trauma. The majority of fire deaths are not directly caused by
heat but, rather, from the toxic gases given off during a fire. On average, approximately three times as many
fire victims succumb to asphyxiation by the inhalation of smoke than from thermal burns. Furthermore, over
50% of fire victims are found in bedrooms, 12% are located in family/living rooms, and 8% are found in
bathrooms (U.S. Fire Administration, 2018b).
In a possible fatal fire investigation, remember that you should treat this scene as a possible crime scene.
There are six critical questions that must be answered and documented in any fatal fire investigation. The
investigation cannot proceed to a conclusion until these six questions are answered.
• Are the remains human?
• What is the identity of the victim?
• What is the cause of death?
• What is the cause of the fire?
• Was the victim alive at the time of the fire?
• Was the death due to the fire?
As with any fire scene, everything should be photographed before it is moved, especially a body. Precise
details, such as body position and measurements, should also be documented. This level of detail is critical in
a fatal fire investigation report, as it helps tell the story of what the person was doing at the time of fire and
death. When assisting the coroner with removing the body, make sure that all body parts are included. After
the removal of the body, the debris surrounding the body should be sifted layer by layer to assure that all
bone fragments and body parts have been removed as well as to locate any other evidence. Normally, during
a postmortem examination (autopsy), the body will be x-rayed. An examination using x-rays could reveal such
things as broken bones, bullet fragments, and trauma before death such as knife wounds. The victim’s sex,
age, and height can be determined by examining the skull, pelvic bones, and major limbs. The coroner should
be familiar with the tests that would commonly be requested in a fatal fire investigation: blood, tissue, stomach
contents, eye fluids, and the previously mentioned x-rays.
Normally, fire will not totally destroy all body parts. The legal cremation of a body requires about 2 hours at
over 2000°F. An exception to this would be child victims due to lower mass and calcination. Vehicle fires tend
to destroy more body evidence due to several factors such as upholstery, plastics, and high interior
temperatures. Some factors that a fire investigator should take into consideration when examining a fire
scene involving a death include fuel load, sources of ignition, time issues, and magnitude of damage around
the body.
Fire’s Effects on the Human Body
Fire causes the muscles to contract, sometimes resulting in a pugilistic pose, which is also known as a
fighter’s stance. Muscles tend to shrink and bones weaken and fracture when exposed to heat. Heat will also
cause fractures of the skull. Due to these issues, damage by firearms or explosion can be mistaken as normal
damage.
FIR 4305, Fire Investigation and Analysis 4
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
Heat, flames, toxic gases, hypoxia, smoke, and blunt trauma are all ways that people become victims in a
fatal fire. Icove and Haynes (2018) note that it is often a combination of these factors that lead to a person’s
death, so while a particular threshold may not have been met, the synergistic effect of several sub threshold
values may lead to a fatality. Exposure to as little as 20 parts per million (PPM) of acrolein or as much as 900
PPM of hydrogen chloride will incapacitate a person (Icove & Haynes, 2018). Exposure to 6,000–8,000 PPM
of carbon monoxide will incapacitate a person, and 12,000–16,000 PPM will be fatal. Exposure to 10–12%
oxygen levels will cause incapacitation, and 8–10% levels will cause death (Icove & Haynes, 2018).
When the human body reaches an internal temperature of 109°F, death generally occurs. This could result
from prolonged exposure to temperatures as low as 175°F–250°F. Human skin begins to fail at approximately
130°F (Icove & Haynes, 2018).The effects of exposure to heat, toxic gases, smoke, and hypoxic atmospheres
is also time dependent. Higher exposure levels can be tolerated for shorter times, and lower-level exposure
over a longer period of time may be as bad or worse. Blunt force trauma is the final fatal factor to consider
and may happen in a variety of ways in a fire: falls, debris striking the victim, and explosions. The investigator
must remember that all of these factors are synergistic when looking at their impact on the human body.
In conclusion, we need to remember that every fatal fire investigation should be treated as a crime scene.
You, as the fire investigator, will need to effectively work as a part of a team in order to determine cause,
origin, and cause of death; identify remains; and then to see the case successfully through prosecution if it is
determined to be a criminal act. The importance of doing a professional investigation cannot be
overemphasized as there will only be one chance to get the investigation right. Properly documenting the
investigation is equally important so that the case can withstand the testing that the defense team will put
forth; it may wind through the courts for years, and it would be nearly impossible to remember all of the key
facts years later. While these cases often are high-profile and receive extensive media coverage, the
fundamentals of the investigation are the same as those we use in every other fire. This is why the scientific
method and the use of your consistent process are so important to ensuring that critical details are not
overlooked.
References
Icove, D. J., & Haynes, G. A. (2018). Kirk’s fire investigation (8th ed.). Pearson.
Icove, D. J., DeHaan, J., & Haynes, G. A. (2013). Forensic fire scene reconstruction (3rd ed.). Pearson.
U.S. Fire Administration. (2018a). Fatal fires in residential buildings (2014–2016). Topical Fire Report Series,
19(1), 1–14. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v19i1
U.S. Fire Administration. (2018b). Fire risk in 2016. Topical Fire Report Series, 19(6), 1–17. Federal
Emergency Management Agency. https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v19i6
- Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VIII
Reading Assignment
Unit Lesson
Fire Investigation Report Case Information
You are the fire investigator for your fire department. You are assigned a case for a fire that occurred overnight in your jurisdiction. The location is 357 Easy Street, Tremont, Alabama. The fire involved a single-story, wood framed, single-family dwelling.
Upon arrival at the scene, you observe that the last of the fire crews has completed salvage and overhaul and are preparing to leave. The Battalion Chief, Ted Rose, was Incident Commander and is still on the scene. After a briefing from Ted, you discover several areas of fire origin on the interior of the structure.
The only one home at the time of the fire was a 22-year-old male (Donny Willis), the owner’s son. There were no signs of forced entry into the structure. The fires were quickly extinguished, and the scene was preserved for the fire investigations division.
In your investigation, you find that the residence has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a dining room, and a family room. The furnace, water heater, washer, and dryer are all in good condition with no signs of fire damage. All kitchen appliances (all electric) are in good condition with no signs of fire damage.
After completing your initial investigation, you speak to the owner, (Frank Willis, phone – 555-239-4951), who tells you that he and his wife (Sally Willis) had asked their son to move out due to issues with drug use and not being willing to find a job—among other problems. The owner further stated that he and his wife had left the house at about 10 P.M. to meet some friends and go see a movie. He further stated that his son was at home when they left. The son could not be located at the time of your investigation.
Note: Areas in bold must be identified. You may follow this outline, create your own report template, or utilize/modify an existing template from your workplace that addresses all requirements of this assignment.
Determining Origin:
· Witness Statements
· These should indicate name, title or relation, address, and phone number.
· Fire Patterns
· Fire pattern analysis indicated a fire generating within the (location) with fire venting through (location), thus causing fire damage to (areas of damage). (Continue with this section of your narrative as needed.)
· Fire Dynamics
· A fire beginning at (location) is consistent with the damage observed in the room. A (size/type) fuel load was present in the room. (Continue with this section of your narrative as needed.)
Causation Observations:
Based on the analysis of the facts and data listed above, the area of origin is (location).
· The first fuel ignited within the area of origin(s): (fuel).
· Ignition source(s) within the area of origin was/were identified as: (fuels).
· Oxidant:
· Ignition sequence:
· The cause of the fire is (cause, if determinable), according the to the NFPA cause classifications.
Evidence Collected:
· Fire Debris Samples
· Record the results (positive /negative /pending).
· Physical Evidence
· Determine location where evidence is being stored.
Estimated Dollar Loss:
Case Status:
· Identify if the status is open, closed, or pending.
Photographic Evidence from the Scene:
Residence exterior – North and west side
Residence exterior – West and south side
Upholstered chair in northwest corner of living room
Closet in bathroom area, located toward south end of home
On bed (queen size) in master bedroom (identified as bedroom 1), southwest corner of home
Two views – On bed (full size) (Identified as bedroom 2), southeast corner of home
Two views – On bed (twin size) in bedroom 3
Floor area along east wall, directly below window in bedroom 3
End of Photographic Evidence
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