NCJ Number
10845
Date Published
1969
Length
255 pages
Annotation
ELEMENTARY TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF THE COMBUSTION PROCESS OF FUELS, AND OF THE INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES UTILIZED IN EXAMINING CASES OF SUSPECTED ARSON.
Abstract
FIRE INVESTIGATION BEGINS WITH AN EXAMINATION OF THE ELEMENTARY CHEMISTRY OF COMBUSTION AND THE NATURE AND BEHAVIOR OF FIRE. THE COMBUSTION PROPERTIES OF SOLID AND NON-SOLID FUELS ARE DEFINED. FIRE PATTERNS OF STRUCTURAL AND OUTDOOR FIRES ARE DELINEATED WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN TO AUTOMOBILE, BOAT, CLOTHING, AND FABRIC FIRES. PRACTICAL GUIDELINES FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF STRUCTURAL FIRES ARE GIVEN. SPECIFIC FACTORS RELATED TO THE INVESTIGATION AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF ARSON ARE CONSIDERED. ALSO INCLUDED ARE DISCUSSIONS OF EXPLOSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH FIRES AND BUILDING CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS. APPENDIX INCLUDES ILLUSTRATIONS OF FIRE EXPERIMENTATION AND FIRE ORIGINS.