A Guide to Arson Investigation

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• A Guide to Arson Investigation

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What is Arson?
ARSON is the crime of burning property - the
burning of a building or other property for a
criminal or malicious reason.
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The Fire Tetrahedron
The Chemistry of Fire

• The triangle illustrates the rule that in order
  to ignite and burn, a fire requires three
  elements heat, fuel, and oxygen.
• A fire is caused by the convergence of FUEL, O2,
  HEAT, an uninhibited chemical chain rxn.

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The Chemistry of Fire

• A liquid burns when the temperature is high
  enough to vaporize it (flash point), while a
  solid must be hot enough to decompose into
  gaseous products (pyrolysis).
• Glowing combustion or smoldering is burning at
  the fuel-air interface, such as a cigarette.
• Spontaneous combustion, which is rare, is the
  result of a natural heat-producing process in
  poorly ventilated containers or areas.

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Combustion

• Fire is a combustion process during which oxygen
  (min. req. is 15) is united with some fuel to
  produce noticeable quantities of heat and light
  (flame) and releases Carbon or CO, carbon
  monixde, a toxic gas, and water vapor.

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Endothermic vs. Exothermic
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Fuels
Flames
Oxygen
Heat

• Combustion or burning is a complex sequence of
  exothermic (gives off heat or light) chemical
  reactions between a fuel and an oxidant
  accompanied by the production of heat or both
  heat and light in the form of either a glow or
  flames.

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Heat Production

• Chemically, through rapid oxidation
• Mechanically, as the result of friction
• Electrically, due to an electrical malfunction
• Kinetically, in a compressed gas because
  molecular activity is great increased
• Nuclearly, through the splitting of atomic
  particles.

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Transference Of Heat

• Conduction direct contact
• Convection super heated gases
• Radiation invisible waves that travel at the
  same speed as visible light. Radiant heat travel
  in a direct line from the source until it strikes
  the object.

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• Fires expand horizontally vertically from the
  point of origin
• They follow the path of least resistance
  through ceilings, doorways, windows, stairways
  other openings
• Fires start when the minimum temperature needed
  to spontaneously ignite fuel, (ignition
  temperature), is reached.
• The heat evolved when a substance burns-heat of
  combustion.

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Stages of A Fire Grow Spread in 4 Stages

1. Incipient Stage-Earliest stage. Duration may be a
   fraction of a second to hours, depending on the
   fuel available ignition source
2. Emergent Stage-Combustion activity increases
3. Free Burning-The intensity of the fire increases.
   The intensity of the heat doubles with each 18F
   temperature rise.
4. Oxygen-Regulated Smoldering-O2 enriched air in an
   area or room is depleted causing combustion to
   cease. Temp may exceed 1000F. If O2 is
   re-introduced to the fire, a backdraft (explosive
   ignition) may occur.

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• STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

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Searching the Fire Scene

• Origin and Cause
• Determination
• Patterns
• How does fire burn?
• Ignitable Liquids
• Sniffers
• Portable vapor detectors
• Make Determination- Accidental vs. Incendiary

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Searching the Fire Scene

• The causes of fire- 4 categories
• Natural (e.g., lightning)
• Accidental (e.g., unintentional or negligent, but
  explainable human action)
• Incendiary (e.g., intentional)
• Undetermined (unknown)

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Origin and Causes
Looking for Origin and Cause

• Windows blown away from structure
• Evidence of forced entry
• Missing inventory (warehouses, etc.)
• Missing personal items such as photos,
• bibles, yearbooks, weapons, jewelry (homes)
• Evidence of a previous fire
• Unkempt yard "For sale" signs
• Fuel cans
• Fire extending beyond the perimeter of the
  structure

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Origin and Cause (continued)

• Large amount of damage
• Low burning
• Unidentifiable point of origin
• No "V" burn patterns present
• Lack of accidental causes
• Separate and unconnected fires
• Unusual burn patterns and high heat stress

continue
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Be aware of fire movement
Origin and Cause (continued)

• Fire generally move upward
• Origin located closest to lowest point of most
  intense burning
• Drafts winds
• Secondary fires
• Stairways, holes, elevator shafts
• Flammable liquids flow down

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V patterns
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COLLECTION PRESERVATION
Of Arson Evidence
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Tools of the Trade

• Metal cans and glass bottles

Used containers must be kept sealed
Only 1/2 to 2/3 of the containers are filled, to
allow material sufficient air to breathe
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Tools and Equipment

• Safety and common sense
• are important
• Tools shovels, rakes, hoes, brooms, sifting
  screen

Protective clothing
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Protection of the Scene
FirsT responders are crucial to preservation of
evidence

• The area around the scene needs to be secluded,
  not only for security reasons, but for protection
  of evidence

First responders need to recognize items that may
have evidentiary value. To any subsequent
investigations and take preventative measures to
ensure Evidence is not damaged in the fire or
rescuing process
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Scene Investigation
Fire scenes are considered the hardest of any
investigations because evidence is always
destroyed. 2-3 Quarts of ash and soot debris must
be collected at the point of origin of a fire in
any arson case
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Chain of Custody

• The person who collects and
• processes the evidence is to take all
  responsibility for handling of the evidence
• Proper records and files must be kept of who and
  where has handled the evidence
• Mostly all evidence in arson investigations are
  subject to analysis
• Preserving the evidence so that it is court
  admissible is one of the most important tasks

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FIRE INVESTIGATION
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• Fire investigation is one of the most difficult
  of the forensic sciences to practice.
• In most forensic disciplines, even the basic
  question of whether a crime has been committed is
  normally obvious.

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Origin and Cause of Investigation

• After firefighters extinguish a fire, an
  investigation is launched to determine the origin
  and cause of the fire or explosion.
  Investigations of such incidents are done using a
  systematic approach and knowledge of basic fire
  science.

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• During a fire investigation, an entire process
  must be undertaken just to determine if the case
  involves arson or not. The difficulty of
  determining whether an arson fire has occurred or
  not arises because fires destroy evidence.

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• Fires can be caused by or involve most things
  people see or use. For this reason, fire
  investigators need to know not only basic science
  of fire behavior, but knowledge of many different
  areas of study (including construction,
  electricity, human behavior, vehicles etc) is
  helpful.

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Categories of fires

• Accidental Fire Cause
• Natural Fire Cause
• Incendiary Fire Cause
• Undetermined Fire Cause

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Accidental
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Accidental
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Accidental
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Accidental
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A C C I D E N T A l
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Incendiary
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Incendiary
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Incendiary
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Incendiary
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Types of Arsonists

• Revenge 14
• Vandalism - 60
• Crime Concealment - 7
• Insurance Claims - 16
• Excitement Pyromaniacs - 3

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Types of Arsonists
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Church Arson

• The leading cause of church fires is arson
• Motives of the 100 people arrested in those fires
  included racial hatred, but juvenile vandalism,
  insurance fraud and thrill-seeking were also
  factors.
• Churches are also targets because they are
  unoccupied at night and for long periods of time
  during the day.

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Revenge

• Result of arguments, hatred or jealousy
• Victims are usually family, friends or other
  familiar people
• Hate groups may not know victims
• Often intoxicated at the time of their offense
• Typically use matches and gasoline
• Easily detected because they do not cover their
  tracks

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Vandalism

• Destroy property for fun or sport
• Sometimes revenge is motivation
• Usually have one or more accomplice
• Half of all arson arrests are white males under
  age 18
• Tend to set fires at night

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Crime Concealment

• Usually burglary, often murder
• Use fire to cover traces of the original crime or
  the criminal
• Often set at night

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Insurance Claims

• Arson for Profit
• Arsonist needs money, so they will set fire to
  their own property to collect on the insurance
• Fire Strippers who set fires and then search
  the burned remains for plumbing, electrical and
  other construction materials
• Usually do not set fire to property that has
  people in it
• Generally, fires are set in the day time

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Excitement

• Set fires because they are entertained
• Some like the sight of fire burning
• Others enjoy watching the firefighters using
  their equipment
• Usually intoxicated at the time of the fire
• Do not set fire to inhabited property

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Pyromaniacs

• Pathological Fire setters
• They get a sensual satisfaction watching fire
  destroy

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Arson Violence

• Fires set intentionally can also go hand in hand
  with violence
• Mob violence fires
• Occurs where the median income is below the
  poverty line
• Fire-setters have the least to lose in personal
  property

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Little known Facts Did you know that?

• Arson is the 1 crime committed by juveniles.
• 1/3 of all children killed by fire set the fire
  themselves.
• Left untreated 81 of fire setters will repeat
  their dangerous actions.

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Little known Facts Did you know that?

• Fire is the only object of mass destruction to
  which young people have access.
• Fire setters are not arsonists or pyromaniacs.
• Fire setting evaluation, education and
  intervention services work.

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Little known Facts Did you know that?

• Arsonists intentionally set fires that destroyed
  879 million in insured property in 2004,
  including factories, residential buildings,
  churches and motor vehicles.
• The number of civilians killed in arson fires in
  buildings in 2004 totaled 320. Only 17 of cases
  ended in arrests in 2004.

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Little known Facts Did you know that?

• Children are responsible for almost half of the
  arson fires set in the United States.
• Arson committed at night is usually deemed as
  being more serious than t hat committed during
  daytime.

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Hazards Dangers Of Investigation

• Investigating the scene alone
• Fire scene examinations should not be undertaken
  alone
• A minimum of 2 individuals should be present to
  ensure that assistance is at hand if an
  investigator should become trapped or injured

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Hazards Dangers Of Investigation

• Structural stability
• By their nature, most structures that have been
  involved in fires or explosions are structurally
  weakened.
• Roofs, ceilings, partitions, load bearing walls,
  and floors may have been compromised by the fire
  or explosion

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Hazards Dangers Of Investigation

• Investigator Fatigue
• It is common for investigators to put in long
  periods of strenuous personal labor during an
  incident scene investigation.
• This may result in fatigue, which can adversely
  influence an investigators physical coordination,
  strength, judgment to recognize or respond to
  hazardous conditions or situations.

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Hazards Dangers Of Investigation

• Status of suppression
• If the investigator is going to enter parts of
  the structure before the fire is completely
  extinguished, he or she should receive permission
  from the fire ground commander.
• The investigator should keep the fire ground
  commander advised of the areas into which he or
  she will be entering and working.

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Hazards Dangers Of Investigation

• Standing water
• Standing water can pose a variety of dangers to
  the investigator.
• Puddles of water in the presence of energized
  electrical systems can be lethal if the
  investigator should touch an energized wire while
  standing in a puddle.

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Hazards Dangers Of Investigation

• Safety of fire scene atmosphere
• Fire and explosions often generate toxic or
  noxious gases. The presence of hazardous
  materials in this structure is certain.
• Homes chemicals in the kitchen, bath, and garage
  that can create great risk to the investigator if
  they are exposed to them.
• Commercial business structures are generally more
  organized in the storage of hazardous materials,
  but investigator cant assume that the risk is
  less.

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Conclusion

• Fires present a major social and economic
  problem.
• Arson in particular costs the community an
  enormous amount of money each year.

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Conclusion

• Arson can be used to destroy personal property,
  collect insurance or to cover up other crimes.
• Fires may destroy items that are irreplaceable
  due to their historical or sentimental value.

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Conclusion

• All arson fires are incendiary, however not all
  incendiary fires are arson.
• In order for a fire to be considered arson, it
  must have been caused by someone through the use
  of an accelerant.

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Conclusion

• Crime prevention programs are used and more
  resources are dedicated to improving the
  sophistication of the investigation of suspected
  arson.

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EXPLOSIVES
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Recent Bombings in the News

• 1998 The Unabomber (20 yrs)
• Ted Kaczynski

• 1988 Pan Am Flight
• 103, Lockerbie, Scotland

• 2005 London Underground Train Bombings (4
  simultaneous explosions/1 on bus)

• 1995 Murrah Federal Building, Oklahoma City, OK
• Tim McVeigh
• Terry Nichols

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Where to look For evidence

• There are 3 places to look for evidence in a
  bombing
• The target
• The materials damaged by the blast
• The area outside the bombing crime scene

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Where to look For evidence

• 1. Explosions leaving a crater
• Recoverable evidence may be caught in the hole or
  nearby the crater
• 2. Explosions leaving a hole
• Only explosive residue is generally left behind.

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What is an Explosive

• Explosives are substances that undergo a rapid
  oxidation reaction with the production of large
  quantities of gases.
• It is this sudden buildup of gas pressure that
  constitutes the nature of an explosion.
• The speed at which explosives decompose and
  release their gases permits their classification
  as high or low explosives.

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Explosives

• Third World Countries

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Types of Explosives Low Explosives

• The most widely used explosives in the
  low-explosive group are black powder and
  smokeless powder.
• Black powder is a mixture of potassium or sodium
  nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur.
• Smokeless powder consists of nitrated cotton
  (nitrocellulose) or nitroglycerin and
  nitrocellulose.

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Types of Explosives HIGH Explosives

• Primary explosives
• Ultrasensitive to heat, shock, or friction and
  provide the major ingredients found in blasting
  caps or primers used to detonate other explosives.

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Explosives

• Secondary explosives are relatively insensitive
  to heat, shock, or friction and will normally
  burn rather than detonate if ignited in small
  quantities in the open air.
• This group comprises the majority of commercial
  (Dynamite) and military blasting, such as TNT,
  PETN, and RDX.

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Explosives

• First high explosive with a commercial
  application was Nitroglycerin (NG) 1850s
• In recent years, NG-based dynamite has all but
  disappeared from the industrial explosive market
  and has been replaced by ammonium nitrate-(AN)
  based explosives (i.e., water gels, emulsions,
  and ANFO explosives).

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Military Explosives

• Suitability of an explosive for military use is
  determined by
• Can it be produced from cheap raw materials that
  are not strategic SIMPLE
• Are they available in GREAT quantity CHEAP
• Density must be as high as possible SAFE

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Military Explosives

• TNT first used in WWI. TNT AN used in WWII by
  Germany for V-2 rockets in the bombing of London.
  Blast velocity of 6825 m/s
• RDX is the most popular and powerful of the
  military explosives, often encountered in the
  form of pliable plastic known as C-4. Blast
  velocity of 8050 m/s
• HMX 30 more powerful than TNT. Blast velocity
  of 9124 m/s

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Explosives

• TNT-It is valued because of its insensitivity to
  shock and friction, which reduces the risk of
  accidental detonation. TNT
• Time
• RDX TNT Bomb
• RDX- possesses greater explosive power than TNT
  used in the WW I. Requires no new raw materials
  for its manufacture

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Explosives market

• C-4

C4 is made up of explosives, plastic binder,
plasticizer and, usually, marker or odorizing
taggant chemicals such as 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitro
butane (DMDNB) to help detect the explosive and
identify its source. As with many plastic
explosives, the explosive in C4 is RDX.
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Military Explosives

• In many countries outside the United States, the
  accessibility of military high explosives to
  terrorist organizations makes them very common
  constituents of homemade bombs.
• IEDs Improvised Explosives/3 common types 1.
  KNO3 w/sugar aluminum
• 2. Sulfur/Charcoal, KClO3 sugar
• 3. KClO4, sugar aluminum

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Military Explosives

• High Explosive IEDs
• TATP preferred by terrorists because it does
  not have a nitrogen atom in its structure
• Presumptive tests for explosives are made to
  identify or respond to a reactive nitrogen atom
  in the residue tested
• Easer to past airport and other bomb detectors

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Evidence Collection

• Presumptive Field Tests
• IMS ion mobility spectrometer
• Detects a wide range of explosives including
  plastic military explosives, even at trace
  levels
• Portable Hydrocarbon Detectors detects
  explosive residues on objects or people
• Chemical reagents Greiss reagent tests for
  presence of nitrates
• Specially trained dogs can also detect
  hydrocarbon residues Offcrs. Meade Lucky

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Back at the Lab

• Testing procedures include color spot tests,
  thin-layer chromatography, high-performance
  liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography-mass
  spectrometry.
• Confirmatory identification tests may be
  performed on unexploded materials by either
  infrared spectrophotometry or X-ray diffraction.

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The Station Night Club Fire
February 2003
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A Case Study Of a Fire

• Background and Cause(s) of a fire and ongoing
  investigation
• NFPA Response
• Incident hits close to home
• NFPA Fire Codes/OSHA Compliance
• Case update

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The Aftermath
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Fire Details

• Location West Warwick, RI
• 15 miles from Providence
• Building Type one story wooden structure
• Fully engulfed within 3 minutes
• Business was too small to require a sprinkler
  system
• Occupancy limit 300 with furniture / 404 without
  

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Fire Details

• 99 people perished (4 out of 16 club employees)
• Over 180 people injured
• Greatest loss of life due to a fire since the
  1995 Branch Davidian
• Compound, where 80 people died

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Causes/ Investigation

• Pyrotechnics were used (without a permit),
  ignited wall behind stage
• Fire spread to ceiling, despite band member
  trying to extinguish with water
• There were three fire exits besides the main
  doors
• Most tried to escape through the main doors, but
  thick smoke quickly obstructed the means of
  egress

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Causes/ Investigation

• Due to neighbor complaints, sound proofing was
  installed in 2000
• Sound proofing was made up of an egg-crate type
  foam material (cost - 575) made out of
  polyurethane, which burns like gasoline smoke
  emitted contained carbon monoxide, cyanide, and
  other toxic gases
• Rhode Island law prohibits using flammable
  acoustic material on the walls of gathering
  places like bars

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Causes/ Investigation

• Attorney for the clubs owners stated they were
  not aware this foam was dangerous
• Club passed most recent fire inspection, and this
  material was not documented
• Issues from last inspection
• Burned out light bulbs
• Improperly installed fire extinguishers

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Causes/ Investigation

• Exit door near the stage swung inward, therefore,
  a violation of the fire code
• Town manager (Wolfgang Bauer) states this door
  was taken down to pass inspection, and then put
  back up
• Town could be held liable due to the overlooking
  of the foam sound proofing

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NFPA Response

• Jim Shannon (President) interviewed by 60 Minutes
  II March 5, 2003
• NFPA code development process
• Organizations position on sprinklers
• Cause of West Warwick tragedy
• NFPA fire codes have reduced fire in buildings by
  nearly 50 over the last 25 years
• Interact with victims families/learn from these
  tragedies

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NFPA Response

• One of the most frustrating things about the
  Rhode Island nightclub fire is that this tragedy
  could have been prevented. If NFPA code had been
  followed, there would have been no fire.

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NFPA Response

• Strong advocates of sprinkler systems in most
  structures.
• As a result of this tragedy, a public assembly
  occupancy committee was held to address all of
  the issues and details pertaining to this tragedy
  codes may need to be updated

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NFPA Response

• NFPA methodology
• The level of Safety provided is not the result
  of any single safety system or feature, but
  rather is achieved through the combination of
  multiple safeguards that are provided
• ex NFPA 1, Fire Prevention Code

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NFPA/Rhode Island Fire Code

• Life Safety Code
• NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code - 1994 (1997)
• Governs life safety - egress requirements,
  protection of occupants.
• Divided by occupancy classification - different
  occupancies have different code requirements.

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Fire Codes

• What is a Means of Egress?
• A continuous  and unobstructed way of exit travel
  from any point in a three separate and distinct
  parts(a) the exit access(b) the exit(c) the
  exit discharge

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Fire Codes

• A means of egress comprises the vertical and
  horizontal travel and shall include intervening
  room spaces, doorways, hallway, corridors,
  passageways, balconies, ramps, stairs,
  enclosures, lobbies, escalators, horizontal
  exits, courts, and yards.
• Egress Doors - shall be arranged to be opened
  readily from the egress side whenever the
  building is occupied.

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Fire Codes

• Locks, if provided, shall not require the use of
  a key, tool or special knowledge, or effort for
  operation from the inside of the building.
• Where are Exit Devices Required?
• In a means of egress whereOccupancy load is 100
  people or more
• Occupancy type is for Education or Assembly

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Fire Codes

• (1) Educational
• Buildings or parts of buildings which are used
  by more than 5 people at one time for educational
  purposes, with a total occupancy load of greater
  than 50 people, for kindergarten through 12th
  grade or day care centers for children over 2
  years and 9 months of age.

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Fire Codes

• (2) Assembly
• Buildings or parts of buildings which are used
  or designed for the gathering together of persons
  for purposes such as civic, social, or religious
  functions, recreation, food or drink consumption,
  or awaiting transportation, which will
  accommodate 50 or more occupants

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OSHA Regulations

• CFR 1910.38 Employee Emergency Plan
• Purpose
• Shall cover those designated actions employers
  and employees must take to ensure employee safety
  from fire and other emergencies

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OSHA Regulations

• Contents
• (i) Emergency escape procedures and emergency
  escape route assignments
• (ii) Procedures to be followed by employees who
  remain to operate critical plant operations
  before they evacuate
• (iii) Procedures to account for all employees
  after emergency evacuation has been completed

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OSHA Regulations

• (iv) Rescue and medical duties for those
  employees who are able to perform them
• (v) The preferred means of reporting fires
• and other emergencies

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OSHA Regulations

• Other requirements
• 1) Fully operational alarm system
• 2) Training
• Employer must train a sufficient number of
  persons to assist in the action plan
• when plan is formulated
• when employees responsibilities or designated
  actions change
• when plan is changed

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Evacuation Procedures
Store Management Makes announcement for all
associates and customers to evacuate the store
using the nearest EXIT
Dept. Supervisors Assist associates and customers
in evacuating the store using the nearest EXIT
All Associates Evacuate the store using the
nearest EXIT
Assist associates and customers in evacuating the
store using the nearest EXIT
Search assigned area for any customers/associates
that are left in the store
Meet at end of parking lot in front of store
Search assigned area for any customers/associates
that are left in the store
Evacuate store using the nearest EXIT
Evacuate store using the nearest EXIT
Meet at end of parking lot in front of store
Meet at end of parking lot in front of the store
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OSHA Regulations

• Sprinklers were not installed due to an exemption
  in this older venue (exact date of when became
  mandatory unknown)
• Sprinklers would have reduced the impact of the
  fire, but not necessarily saved more lives

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RI Case Update

• April 4
• Foam soundproofing found to be spray-painted,
  and glitter present on surface
• April 9
• Contract w/band found amongst the rubble.
  Document revealed that the owners promoted the
  event for 550 people, as they did with prior
  concerts.

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RI Case Update

• Litigation
• 2 civil lawsuits from 3 victim's families
• 3 additional attorneys representing 30 survivors
  (no formal charges yet)
• Currently, there are no criminal charges filed

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RI Case Update

• April 9 Providence, Rhode Island Committee
  Bans Pyrotechnics
• A legislative committee approved a ban on
  pyrotechnics in nightclubs April 8. Rep. Norman
  Landroche, Jr. is a co-sponsor of the bill. The
  bill, passed unanimously by the Corporations
  Committee, would ban pyrotechnics in places
  licensed to serve liquor that have a capacity of
  up to 1,000 people, and would eliminate an
  exemption that has allowed older venues like The
  Station to operate without installing sprinklers.
  

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RI Case Update Final Outcome

• April 10 Owners fined 1 million for not
  carrying W/C for their associates (1,000/day x 3
  years)
• Fan pieces were also found. Fans were mounted
  to the wall, and if they were running, may have
  possibly accelerated the fire

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