Scene Examination

Question 1

Preparing for examination

Answer 1

The scene should be examine in a systematic approach, from the outside in. Commencing from the undamaged area and progressively working through to the point of origin.

Question 2

Point of origin

Answer 2

Exact location at which:

• a component failed,
• a fire was maliciously lit,
• an accidental fire originated

Question 3

External examination

Answer 3

The external examination takes into account:

1. Adjourning premise which often reveal
   - accelerant containers
   - attempts at forced entry
   - broken windows
   - forced doors
2. Nearby alleyways/streets/driveways
3. The yards and outbuildings of the fire effected property
4. The periphery of the structure itself
5. What distance debris was scattered, particularly if drums or cylinders have exploded.

Question 4

External examination

Surrounding area of involved premises:

Answer 4

• accelerant containers
• contents of outbuilding missing
• property run-down
• business appears to be struggling

Question 5

External examination

Damaged structure itself may reveal:

Answer 5

• Jemmy marks or other signs of forced entry on windows or doors
• window glass broken before the fire was ignited
• burn pattern above doors and windows and “V” shaped burn patterns on external cladding.

Question 6

Preliminary Internal Examination

Answer 6

Slow walk through the premises, from area of least damage to that of most damage, taking note of indicators:

• Low stock levels in commercial premises
• building areas in need of repair
• signs of hardship (empty flats, shops to let)
• missing family photographs, furniture and personal items
• lack of clothing in wardrobes and drawers
• rifled premises
• position of clothing if not in wardrobe or drawer
• open filing cabinets or missing files
• forced entry into an empty till
• presence of accelerant containers or trails
• separate unrelated seats of fire
• owner/occupier attitude during walk through (if access is permitted)
• unusual odours
• burn patterns

Question 7

Detailed Internal Examination

Answer 7

Accompany Specialist Fire Investigator while they complete a detailed internal examination. Taking into account a number of observations:

• smoke deposits and burn patterns
• spalling
• damage to wall studs
• damage to roofing timbers
• damage to window sills and door edges
• soot deposits on window glass and craze patterns
• floor areas burned through
• skirting board damage
• elimination of false low burns
• removal of fire debris
• under floor inspection

Question 8

Conclusion of the internal examination, Specialist Fire Investigator will be able to determine:

Answer 8

• Area of origin
• point of origin
• the seat of the fire.

Question 9

In determining the seat of the fire, The Specialist Fire Investigator will consider:

Answer 9

• Witness’ reports
• when they first noticed the fire, and where they were at the time
• the state of the fire at the time
• wind direction and speed, and the weather
• direction of the spread
• colour of the flames and smoke (this may also point to the cause: black smoke may indicate a petroleum product based fire)
• the severity of the damage (heat usually rise, the area at the lowest level of burning with the most severe damage is often the place where the fire started)
• the depth of the charring (probing may indicate where the fire has been burning or smouldering the longest)
• the presence of starting devices
• the reports and opinions of other specialists.

Question 10

Wilful cause of fires: Evidence of accelerants

Answer 10

• containers
• traces in debris
• smell
• unusually rapid spread or intensity of fire
• uneven burning
• burning under or behind boards where the liquid has run through the cracks
• multiple sets of fire

Question 11

Wilful cause of fires: Evidence of Intentional Interferance

Answer 11

• tampering with the alarm or sprinkler system
• hindering access
• misdirecting fire fighters
• evidence of intentional removal of valuable property, or substitution of property
• signs that furniture was rearranged to create a fire base
• signs that windows or skylights were opened to create a draught
• foreign materials and objects, such as screws/batteries, that might be a apart of a device
• signs a crime had been committed. The property may have been burned to destroy the evidence. Even when a building has been burnt to the ground, the state of the recovered locks and fasteners may show whether it was secure at the time of the fire
• signs that a heater, soldering iron or other electrical appliance has been left on
• inconsistencies (for example, that the fire is rapid burning but there is no obvious cause
• unusual burn patterns or unusual time factors (fire started after the building was secured).

Question 12

Exhibits

Answer 12

Step 1
Photograph in situ, label the exhibits, and preserve them in containers.

Step 2
Use approved arson kits if there are available; if not, use any suitable containers such as unused four litre paint tins.

Step 3
Take these control samples:
- charred timber and ashes or debris from the seat of the fire for examination and comparison with samples from other points
- any accelerants found near the scene
- soil from the surrounding area.

Question 13

Conducting area enquiries

Answer 13

Step 1
Conduct area enquiries by, eg, sending staff to interview people who work at other warehouses to see if there have been any other arson attempts.

Step 2
Conduct preliminary interview of the owner. Specifically find out:
- when the premises was last secured, and by whom
- whether he or she knows the cause of the fire
- the details of any suspects and any insurance
- type of business
- actions leading up to the fire.

Step 3
Note the owner’s demeanour during the interview.

Step 4
Complete the interviews and obtain, or arrange to obtain, formal statements from the informant, witnesses and owner.

Step 5
Give your supervisor a SITREP. Be prepared to speak to this if required at the scene conference.

Question 14

Conferences

Answer 14

Conferences must be held during the scene examination to assist with:

• assessing information obtained
• reconstruction
• establishing possible motives
• identifying suspects
• planing further enquiries

Question 15

People attending conferences could include:

Answer 15

• OC CIB
• Crime Scene Coordinator
• Fire Investigation Liaison Officer (FILO)
• OC Investigation
• Investigating Officers
• Specialist Fire Investigators
• Police Photographer
• Fingerprint Technician
• Specialists required