How to Conduct an Arson Investigation

Arson is a billion dollar business that destroys lives and property. Although arson is considered one of the easiest crimes to commit, determining that a fire was caused by an arsonist is much more challenging. Here are some guidelines to follow to help conduct an arson investigation.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Professional arson or private investigator
• Knowledge of the properties of fire
• Knowledge of spontaneous combustion
• Training in cause and origin determination
• Accelerant detection dog

1. Have police block off the fire scene to keep curiosity seekers at bay and to prevent accidents.
2. Employ the services of a professional arson or private investigator to conduct an arson investigation. They will visit the crime scene and interview any potential witnesses and firefighters for possible leads. They will also review police reports.
3. Eliminate as many accidental fire causes as possible. The obvious ones include faulty electrical wiring; cigarettes left unattended, malfunctioning appliances and sparks from fireplaces or wood stoves.
4. Determine if there are multiple areas of origin. Numerous sites indicate the fire was intentionally set. Examine the fire scene for sources of ignition, such as matches, cigarette lighters, chemicals, fireplaces, chimneys and/or utility lines.
5. Identify any structural deformities caused by the fire, such as V-patterns on the walls, smoke patterns or charring. Search for remnants of combustible materials that may have been used to start the fire as part of an arson investigation.
6. Collect evidence, both trace and physical, from the fire scene to determine the fire's origin, identify accelerants, and/or connect the arsonist to the scene. Include anything that can link the arsonist to the fire, such as hair, traces of blood, clothing or fibers.
7. Use your sense of smell to detect the odor of paint, fuel, turpentine, chemical solvents or alcohol. Collect samples of any remaining accelerants and send them to the laboratory for analysis. The best place to look for residuals is where the burned and not burned sections of the structure come together.
8. Use an accelerant detection dog to help determine if a fire is arson. Because of their acute sense of smell, these dogs are able to identify minute amounts of liquid accelerants at a fire scene and on the clothes of onlookers and/or possible suspects.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your local fire department or law enforcement agency to recommend several experienced arson investigators.
• Fire investigators should always work in pairs.
• Search the Internet for information on obtaining an accelerant detection dog.