Fire Investigators and Origin and Cause Reports

A fire investigator usually carries out what is known as a origin and cause investigation, which is defined as the analysis of fire-related incidents. Shortly after the fire is actually extinguished by fire-fighters, an investigation is launched to understand why the fire or explosion happened in the first place.

Engineering Specialists Inc is certified by the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI), and is a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI).

Main questions we have during a fire investigation:

• Was this intentional? (Arson)
• Where did the fire start?
• What caused the fire to start?
• How quickly did the fire spread ?
• How much damage did this cause?

Conducting Investigations

A fire investigator, as any good scientist, conducts their investigation in a systematic and logical way. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has a set of codes that relate to the proper ways of conducting an investigation. The approach recommended by the NFPA is as follows:

• Receipt of the assignment, notification of responsibilities.
• The investigator plans for the investigation and assembles all necessary information.
• The scene of the fire is examined and all relevant data collected.
• All physical evidence is collected, documented, tested, and then evaluated.
• The investigator implores the scientific method to analyze the information obtained.