Fire Technology

and Arson
Investigation

Prepared by: Aprill P. Edades

What Constitute Arson?
1.Burning – there must be burning or changing, i.e., the fiber of the wood must be
destroyed or decomposed, its identity or physical state changed.
2.Willfulness – the act was done purposely and with intention.
3.Motive – the moving cause that induces the commission of the crime.
4.Malice - it denotes hatred or a desired for revenge.
5.Intent – the purpose or design with which the act is done and involves the will to
do the act
Methods of Proof in Arson
• Most of the physical evidence in arson is often destroyed. To prove arson
was committed, Corpus Delicti (the body of the crime) must be shown and
the identify of the arsonist must be established.

What is Corpus Delicti?

- It is the fact of that crime was committed
• FACTORS INVOLVED:

• BURNING – that there was a fire that may be shown by direct testimony of
complainant, firemen responding to the crime, and other witnesses of the fire
incident. Burned parts of the building may also indicate location.

• CRIMINAL DESIGN – a willful and intent action done must be shown. The presence
of incendiary devices, flammable substances/ materials such as gasoline and
kerosene may indicate that the fire is not accidental.

• EVIDENCE OF INTENT – when valuables were removed from the building before the
fire, the ill-feeling between the accused an the occupants of the building involved or
burned- absence of effort to put off the fire and such other indications.
Basic of Lines of Inquiry
• Points of Origin of Fire
Initially, the important point to be established is the point of origin of the fire, or
what particular place in the building the fire started. This may be obtained or
established by an examination of witnesses by the arson investigator, by inspection of
the debris at the fire scene, and by studying the fingerprint of fire.
• The fingerprint of Fire
This occurs during the free-burning stage of the fire, or when it undergoes pyrolytic
decomposition or heated gases move upward on the walls leaving a burnt pattern.
Witnesses must be questioned as to:
• His identity;
• What attracted his attention;
• The time of observation;
• His position in relation to the fire at the time of his observation;
• Exact location of the blaze;
• The rapidity or the speed of spread of the fire;
• Color of flame and odor if he/she is in position to observe this;
• Size and intensity;
• Any other person in the vicinity seen by the witness.
Note Fire setting Mechanism:
• Matches
• Candles
• Electrical system
• Mechanical means
• Chemical methods
• Motive
Fires are set by:
1. Person with motives
• Those with desire to defraud the insurer
• Employees or such other person who has grievance
• Those with desire to conceal evidence of crime
• Those who set fire for purposes of intimidation.
2. Persons without motives
• Those who are mentally ill
• Pathological fire setters
• Pyros (pyromaniac)
• Psychos
In determining motive, the arson investigator must concentrate on the three (3) Major Factors namely:
• Point of Origin
• Modus Operandi
• Benefeciaries
What are common motives of arsonist?
1. Economic Gain
• Insurance fraud - benefits
• Desire to dispose merchandise – loss of market value being out of season, lack of raw materials, over supply
of merchandise.
2. Profit by the Perpetrator other than the Insured Person
• Insurance agent wishing business with the insured person
• Business competitors plan to drive others
• Person seeking job as personnel protection
• Salvagers and contractors wishing to contract another building.
3. Concealment of Crime – when the purpose of hiding a crime or committing a crime,
arson was used as a means.
4. Pyromania – the uncontrollable impulse of a person to burn anything without any
motivation.
• Abnormal youth – epileptics, imbeciles and morons
• Hero type – a person responsible setting a building on fire and pretends to discover it,
turn the alarm or make some rescue works to appear as “hero”
• Drug Addicts and Alcoholics
• Sexual Deviates and Perverts
 Development of Prime Suspects;
This identification results from the full development leads, clues and traces, the
testimony.

Techniques used in investigation Arson Incidents

• Search of the fire scene for physical evidence
• Protection of the scene
• Mechanics of search
• Collection and preservation of evidence
• Laboratory aids
• Background study of policy holders, occupants of the premises, owner of the building or
other person having major interest in the fire
• Interview and interrogations of person/s who activated the fire alarm, firemen, and
eyewitnesses.
• Tell Tale Signs
These signs maybe obvious that the first fireman at the fire scene
will suspect arson:
1.Burned Building – the type of building may indicate a set fire
under certain circumstances.
2.Separate fires – when two or more fire breaks out within a
building, the building is certainly suspicious.
3.Color of smoke – some fire burn with little or no smoke but
there are exceptions to this. The observation of the smoke must
be made at the start of the fire scene once the fire has
consumed a major proportion; the value of the smoke is lost,
because the smoke will not indicate the material used by the
arsonist.
 Indication of Color of Smoke and Fire
Color of Smoke Material/Subtance
Black smoke with deep red flame Petroleum products such us

Tar, rubber, plastics, etc.

Heavy brown with bright red flame Nitrogen Products
White smoke with bright flame Magnesium products

Black smoke with red and blue Asphalt

green flame
Purple-violet flame Potassium products
Greenish-yellow flame Chloride or Manganese products
Bright Reddish-yellow flame Calcium products
4. Smoke Marks- an experienced investigator will determine the volume of smoke involved at a fire
and the character as residue deposited on walls or elsewhere.

5. Color of Flame- The color of the flame is a good indicator of the intensity of the fire, it is an
important factor in determining incendiarism.
• A reddish glow indicates heat of about 5000 C., a real light red about 1000 C
• Red flames indicate presence of petroleum products.
• Blue flame indicates use of alcohol as accelerant.

6. Size of fire- is important when correlated with the type of alarm, the time received and the time of
arrival of the first responder at the fire scene.

7. Direction of Travel- while it is admitted that no two fires burn in identical fashion, yet it can be
shown that the fire makes normal progress through various types of building.

8. Intensity – the degree of heat given off by a and the color of its flame often times indicate that
some accelerant has been added to the material normally present in a building and the investigator
must look further for more evidence used of such accelerant.
9. Odor – the odor of gasoline, alcohol, kerosene and other flammable liquids
which are mportant are often used as an accelerant is a characteristics and
often times an arsonist is trapped because of this tell tale sign.

10. Conditions of Content – persons tending to set their house on fire

frequently remove objects of value either materially or sentimentally.

11. Doors and windows – locked doors and obstructed entrance and
passageways are sometimes point to an attempt to impeded firemen in their
operation to put out the fire.

12. Other Suspicious Circumstances – interested by- standers of familiar faces

and discovery of some objects which might be part of a mechanical fire-
setting device among debris.
 CONSIDERATIONS IN INVESTIGATION

• Arson investigation start with the observations of the fire fighters who respond to
the scene. The fire fighters may not see any obvious signs of arson buy may get a
feeling that the fire is not behaving normally. There may be obvious signs of arson
such as multiple points of origin or the presence of accelerants. What ever it is that
raises the suspicions of the fire fighters at the scene, it is their observations that
initiate an arson investigation.

• At this point the investigation deviates from the procedures used in a normal
criminal investigation. In a normal criminal investigation interviewing witness is
usually done after the physical evidence is processed. In a investigation of a fire
where arson is suspected the investigation starts the interviewing of witness and
fire fighters immediately. It is essential for the investigator to interview the fire
fighters who were the first to arrive at the fire scene.
• Was there anything strange about the way the fire was burning? Rapid
spread of a fire can indicate the use of accelerants. Multiple points of
origin, flashes and explosions can also indicate accelerants or incendiary
devices. Were there any familiar faces at the scene? It is possible that the
fire fighters have seen the same person in the crowd at several fires.

• Some arsonist like to watch the fire or help the fire fighters. If the fire
fighters do notice the same person at several suspicious fires the
investigator must try to interview this person as soon as possible.
• It is essential for the investigator to interview any witnesses present when the
fire started. The investigator must interview the person who called or reported
the fire, immediately even before the fire is extinguished and the physical
evidence is processed. The person that called in the fire may be able to supply
the investigator with information such as the color of the smoke and the time
that the fire started.

• The witnesses may have seen people fleeing the scene. The witnesses may
have also noticed the smell of accelerants or heard explosions. Any television
station or newspaper reporters at the scene will also be interviewed. They will
be asked to provide copies of video footage or photographs of the scene.