Role of Evidence Collectors at a Fire Scene Investigation

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Fire is a complex event and its cause or origin may not be so obvious. This places a necessity for an evidence collector to gather data at the scene of the fire and then (in collaboration with other experts) be in a better position to give the concrete answer on what caused the fire (National Institute of Justice, 2000). The evidence collector has the duty of exploring, determining, and documenting the cause and the origin of the fire, establishing any human action that was responsible for it, and in some instances present testimony in court or to the insurance firm for any possible compensation (Belfiglio, 2009). This may be important in establishing whether it was an arson act or an accident and the actions that can be taken to curb a repeat of such (National Institute of Justice, 2000).

There are several types of evidence and the fire investigator (evidence collector) needs to understand each so that he can be an effective arson investigator. The first is the physical evidence, which is on the facts which have a physical existence in addition to the mental concepts (Lee, 2009). Physical evidence may include a trailer, an incendiary device, and flammable liquid. Secondly, direct evidence becomes proof of a fact that is in question. For instance, if there is an eyewitness to the start of the fire. Circumstantial (also referred to as indirect evidence) is the evidence of the situations or facts from which the non-existence or existence of the fact in question can be inferred (Lee, 2009).

When collecting physical evidence, evidence collectors would gather things such as blood samples which they collect and place in a glass and then take it to the lab for testing, or the material with bloodstains scrapped on a paper for testing. Other materials that may be collected as evidence may include tools, bullets, and cartridge casings. They may also collect firearms (if any) from the fire scene though they should be very careful not to ruin the fingerprints. They should also carefully note the firearm’s model, serial number, presence of bullets or cartridges, and also the name of the manufacturer. (Lee, 2009).

The evidence collectors may also look out for any tire prints and then photograph them for further investigations. They may also collect any charred documents and place them in a container or if loose can be placed in a cotton-filled container to restrict any movement. If there are clothe remains that are stained with blood or other liquids they should be labeled for easier identification. The collectors may also check whether there are documents in the scene and should place them in plastic envelopes with either tweezers or tongs, then seal the envelopes and then label them (Lee, 2009). Any fingerprints on the materials should be photographed and then submitted to the laboratory. They should also look for footprints and if any, photograph them each. Glass is placed in the paper package, with samples of fibers and hair being placed on the paper folding. In addition to physical evidence, trace evidence should also be collected, for example how the metal has melted to get a clue on the fire’s temperature. (Lee, 2009).

Since the evidence may be of different forms with some being temporary, such as footprint impression, the first responders must know that rescue, fire suppression, medical, salvage, and overhaul efforts can destroy or affect the evidence. Therefore the evidence collector should be careful to preserve evidence that he or she has taken. They should assess the scene and immediately identify the potential evidence and take immediate measures to preserve them. After collecting data, the evidence collector should identify and then document the evidence properly. They should preserve evidence which will then be taken to the laboratory for further analyses and investigations. They should at all-time avoid evidence contamination but always use notes, sketches, video logs, and photographs to document the location of evidence (National Institute of Justice, 2000).