What does the External examination take into account?
- Adjoining premises
- Forced entry
- Yards
- What distance debris was scattered
Explain how the ‘Preliminary Internal Examination’ should take place and what indicators you should take note of:
A slow walk through, from area of least damage to that of most damage
Take note of:
- Low stock levels
- Signs of hardship
- Missing family photos
- Lack of clothing
- Unusual odours
What will be noted in the ‘Detailed Internal Examination’?
- Smoke deposits and burn patterns
- Damage to roofing timbers
- Damage to window sills and door edges
- Grazing of glass
- Floor areas burned through
What will the specialist fire investigator be able to determine after the conclusion of the ‘Detailed Internal Examination’?
- Area of origin
- Point of origin
- The seat of the fire
In determining the seat of the fire the Specialist Fire Investigator will consider:
- Witness reports
- Wind direction and speed
- Direction of spread
- Severity of damage
- Presence of starting devices
What evidence to look for at a scene which may point towards a wilful cause?
- Containers
- Traces of debris
- Smell
- Unusually rapid spread
- Uneven burning
Evidence of intentional interference:
- Tampering with alarm or sprinkler
- Hindering access
- Evidence of intentional removal of valuable property
- Signs a crime has been committed
- Foreign materials which may be part of a device
Exhibits 3 important steps:
- Photograph in situ, label and preserve in containers
- Use appropriate arson kits
- Take control samples of:
Charred timber or debris from seat and comparison from other points
Any accelerants
Soil from surrounding area
5 steps for area enquiries:
- Send staff to interview people
- Prelim interview with owner
- Note the owners demeanour
- Complete interviews and FWS
- SITREP supervisor
Conferences must be held during the scene examination to assist you with:
- Assessing information obtained
- Reconstructing
- Establishing possible motives
- Identifying suspects
- Planning further enquiries
Who else may attend the conference?
- O/C CIB
- FILO
- O/C investigation
- Specialist Fire Investigator
- SOCO
- Photographer
Who must chair the conference?
- FILO or
- Crime scene co-ordinator or
- Senior Police employee present
What does a conference form?
The conference forms the basis of your scene examination and risk assessment planning.
What is a major consideration at fire scenes?
Your risk assessment. You are morally and legally responsible for the safety of staff at your scene.
Considerations when removing a body from a fire scene
- Where possible a forensic pathologist should be called and attend, prior to removal
- Consider recording the body removal on video
Best practice for body packaging and what to look out for
- Ensure body has cooled
- Use bubble wrap to secure body parts
- Clearly mark
- Put in protected box of some form
**Look out for medical pins, teeth or any protected finger skin
12 general enquiries in respect of fires NOT involving explosives
- Submit ESR items ASAP
- OR
- Obtain reports
- Consider media release/informing staff
- Plan enquires and do interviews
- Area canvas
- Consider motive
- Contact insurance company
- Consider pyromaniac (prevention needed)
- Inform intel and FILO
- Establish weather at time of fire
- Maintain contact with owner
12 suspect enquiries in respect of fires not involving explosives
- Means of ID suspects
- Possible suspects
- Investigate suspects (background)
- Consider surveillance
- Complete enquiries
- Consider search warrant
- Interview
- ID parade or montage
- Enquiries to corroborate or negate suspects explanation
- Advise supervisor
- Arrest
- File
Ways you could ID an arson suspect:
- Circumstances
- Fingerprints
- Informants/Witnesses
- Intel
- Enquiries
Possible suspects of Arson:
- Owner
- Employee
- Criminal (to cover tracks)
- Pyromaniac
- Competitor
Possible evidence that could be located when executing SW on arson suspect:
- Accelerants
- Containers
- Ignitors
- Debris
What to look for at explosions:
- Cratering
- Spread of debris
- Shredding of materials
- Shrapnel marks
3 steps to EXAMINING SCENE of a fire involving explosives
- Conduct scene exam (once safe)
- Continually reconstruct
- Request attendance of ESR
5 step INITIAL ACTION for fires involving explosives
- Consider secondary device
- Do not use cellphones, radios or other transmitting device
- Evacuate to distance of 100m
- When IED located get assistance from Department of Labour
- SITREPS
