Change in Tactics Required To Preserve Arson Evidence
departments
The Volunteers Corner
With the nationally reported increase in the number of incendiary fires, it is time to take a look at the changes in tactics that should be made when there is suspicion of arson.
Obviously, the first objective remains to extinguish the fire, but added to this objective is the necessity to preserve and protect as much arson evidence as possible without endangering life or property. In most fires, this does not become a problem, but it does involve the need for officers to recognize an incendiary situation and to immediately adjust their fire fighting tactics so the fire scene will yield the maximum amount of evidence.
Once the flame has been knocked down, it is always good practice to shut down the nozzle and view the results in order to both minimize water damage and continue the act intelligently. When there is suspicion of arson, there is an added reason to shut down the nozzle—so no evidence will be wantonly washed away.
We seldom stop to think about it, but once the major flame has been knocked down, what little flame is left does not rekindle to great intensity with much rapidity unless, of course, a flammable liquid is involved in the debris. That very fact that the flame regains intensity with unusual speed should be noted by fire fighters because it is another bit of evidence of the use of a flammable liquid.
Observe flareups: Sudden flareups of flame or odd movement of flame also should be noted when making the initial attack because again this can be a sign that a flammable liquid has been used and may be in a container of some sort—possibly a plastic container or even a rubber balloon.
After the knockdown, water should be applied carefully and in as small a rate of flow as possible to extinguish the remaining flame. What you should try to do is to cool the stillflaming combustible material while disturbing it as little as possible.
In opening up at a suspicious fire, fire fighters should exercise care to open up only as much as is absolutely necessary when they are cutting into walls and even ceilings. If the owner claims an electrical failure as the cause of the fire, the investigator will want to be able to see as much of the wiring and electrical fixtures as possible as they were originally installed.
Condition of locks: Fire fighters opening windows and doors for ventilation should make an effort to remember which windows and doors were locked and which were unlocked. It may seem strange, but the reality is that when entry is made into a building through an unlocked door, it sometimes takes a good deal of questioning before an investigator can be certain that the door was actually unlocked because in the excitement of the initial attack, this fact sometimes becomes blurred in the minds of the first-in fire fighters.
When furniture, machinery or other large articles must be moved during overhaul, the men doing this should pay particular attention to where these things were when they first entered the building. Unless attention is given to this, it is a common weakness for men to forget or become hazy on the exact location of such articles and yet, their exact position may be an important item for the fire investigator to know.
When a fire department has a photographer available, it is a good practice to have him take pictures of the area before moving large objects. It is also advisable when there is no great hurry in opening up for the photographer to take pictures of any structural area as it existed after the fire was knocked down and before it was opened up to search for hidden fire. Verbal description of the area is nowhere near as satisfactory or as definitive as a photo. Also, a photo gives a fire investigator a chance to take a close look at the situation before it was changed by the removal of structural material. In some cases, this might provide an added clue as to fire progression or it might substantiate some other bit of evidence.
Taking photos: Photography is a must when a device for starting the fire is discovered or when streamers placed to extend the fire are found. You should remember that careless use of a hose stream may wash aside streamers and increase the difficulty of the investigator’s job. Pictures also should be taken of fuse boxes when the condition of a fuse indicates a dead short that is possibly the result of the arsonist’s activity. A long focal length lense is needed in this case to obtain a large enough image of the fuse and receptacle to show electrical damage.
As soon as fire fighting operations permit, the fire area inside a building must be closed off and kept under guard, and entry to the building must be restricted to fire fighters. When the occupant pleads to recover some valuable object, the chief may allow the occupant to get it when accompanied by a fire fighter and a policeman as witnesses. If there is any doubt as to whether the occupant should have repossession of the valuable object immediately, take it to a police station for safekeeping and get a receipt for it.
We have said nothing thus far about salvage because for the most part, salvage is not advisable at a fire scene. W’ater can be removed from the floor below the fire, but even removal of water from the fire floor may also remove a bit of evidence that the investigator could have found by sifting through the ashes.
The last thing a fire investigator wishes to see is a fire area completely swept of debris because with the debris goes the evidence.
