Importance of debris samples
Vehicle fires are a common thing it seems these days with the amount of fuel that is packed into such a small compartment. By the time most fire investigators get to the vehicle for inspection they have been transported, open to the elements, or altered in some form. That being said it is so important to still provide your client with the highest effort in determining the cause of the fire. Even if the vehicle is exposed to elements as you can see with standing water, debris samples in a passenger compartment fire are necessary. I myself was skeptical that I would be able to get a positive sample if an accelerant was present. This vehicle set exposed to the elements for nearly 30 days before I was able to inspect it. End results were that both samples were positive for "gasoline."
Fire Investigation | Fire Code Compliance | Risk & Safety Surveys | OSHA | Matterport 3D Imagery
3 年Well said when you stated that we need to give the highest effort towards determining the specific elements of a fire for the client. All too often I see investigators pull up short on a fire scene when there was more work that could be done or presented to the client for a decision. You are wise in your statements regarding the ability to have a positive sample even after the fire debris has been exposed to the elements for an extended period of time. Location, location, location not only applies to real estate but also to collecting fire debris samples. Do you collect fire debris samples as a regular rule on fire scenes or do you look for external data points to help guide your decision to collect fire debris collections?