What do fire investigations entail?

Fire investigator talks about the process of investigating

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — “For the year we’ve had 30, so since January 1st, we’ve had 30 different new cases,” says Fire Investigations Battalion Chief  Chris Burke, he recalls how many cases they are currently investigating.

He says typically when they arrive on scene the first thing they look for are eye witnesses.

“Fire dynamics, how the fire grows and behaves and then fire patterns that we utilize and to go in. And that’s what we’re investigating, looking at to see how things developed to determine the origin cause of the fire,” says Burke.

Adding that sometimes they have a feeling how an investigation will turn out.

“We try our hypothesis and if they don’t work out, we backtrack and and determine what is the correct hypothesis. And then we go with possibilities and probabilities, and then again, depending on whether it’s a criminal case, or if it’s just something that is accidental, you know, what we’re determining at that time,” he adds.

Burke says they have to be able to prove their theories in a courtroom.

“When we’re looking at origin, cause we’re looking at what was first ignited, and then what was the competent conditions source to cause damage,” added Burke.

He also adds that in vacant homes there could be various sources that can cause a fire.

“Vacants homes we’re looking, do they have electricity, do they have it other utilities that may play into it, if there’s no utilities there, that knocks out a bunch of our company ignition sources, so all you have basically left is either some type of natural occurrence such as lightning…” said Burke.

If an investigation takes longer than usual, Burke says it’s because theory testing is not done yet.

Burke encourages families to be alert, especially with the silent killer, carbon monoxide.

“Get a carbon monoxide detector, especially if you’re using some type of different heating source to heat your home in winter, because you’re closed up, the air flows are not there, there is no natural ventilation for something to clear it out,” he said.