Fire & Explosion
Origin & Cause Determinations
Establishing Why a Fire or Explosion Occurred
When a fire or explosion occurs, evidence is often partially or completely consumed, making the cause especially difficult to accurately determine. Forensic Analysis & Engineering’s highly qualified engineers and fire experts have years of experience with natural, accidental, and incendiary fire investigations and will apply their skills and cutting-edge techniques to collect evidence and analyze all factors at the scene to establish why a fire or explosion occurred. Forensic Analysis & Engineering’s team strictly adhere to industry standards in the investigative process and examination of fire scenes in order to provide you with the most accurate and comprehensive report possible.
Related Proficiencies:
- Scene Analysis and Reconstruction
- Electrical Factors
- Evidence Collection, Analysis & Storage
- Arson Determinations
- Sprinkler System Failures
- Fire Safety Analysis
- Flash Point Testing
- Laser-Based Scene Mapping
Residential Investigations
Residential Fire Investigation Services
Residential fires can devastate private individuals’ lives by loss of property, homes, bodily injury and even death. Because of the displacement and uprooting of lives, we at FAEC understand the importance of constructing timely, thorough and comprehensive fire scene evaluations. Our fire investigators are experts at establishing why residential fires occur. They have decades of experience investigating fire scenes and are qualified in origin and cause investigations.
24/7 Rapid Response Team
Our rapid response team is available 24/7 to quickly respond to a fire scene before crucial evidence is lost.
Related Proficiencies:
- Appliance Defects
- Single Family Homes
- Apartment / Condominiums
- Oil, Natural, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)-Fueled Appliances
- Residential Chimney Fire
- Consumer Product Testing & Analysis
Commercial / Industrial
Commercial and Industrial Fire Investigation
In 2017 alone, the US Fire Administration reported 3,400 deaths, 14,670 injuries, and $23 billion in losses attributed to fires, as well as disruption of public services & utilities, and the loss of valuable property & information. FAEC’s fire investigators are experienced at determining the cause of commercial/industrial fires, whether arson, human error, electrical, or machinery-related.
24/7 Rapid Response Team
FAEC’s rapid response teams are available 24/7 and poised to arrive quickly to determine the direct cause and manner of ignition before crucial evidence degrades or is lost. Our highly trained investigators are familiar with all National Fire Protection Association NFPA codes and industry standards and we incorporate this knowledge into our comprehensive reports. Having the right team investigate your commercial fire has been proven to save our clients thousands of dollars.
Related Proficiencies:
- Buildings & Structures
- Complex Catastrophe Management
- Electrical Equipment / System Fires
- Equipment & Machinery
- Arson Determination
- Oil, Natural, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)-Fueled Appliances
- Mobile / Modular Construction Code Compliance
- Site Evidence Control
Auto / Truck / RV / Trailer / ATV Loss Causations
Establishing Why Vehicular Fires Occurred
FAEC fire and explosion investigators have substantial experience handling vehicular fires. A vehicular fire can be caused by a multitude of factors, such as mechanical or electrical failure, improper usage or even arson.
Our engineers have the diverse background required to investigate fires caused by these and other means. FAEC fire experts can scientifically detect substances used as accelerants in suspected arson fires. By establishing why and where the fire originated, our facts will provide fair, accurate and verifiable assurance to the claims process. In large cases, our fire investigators will work together with mechanical, chemical, electrical or other specializations to provide a full court-defendable comprehensive report.
Related Proficiencies:
- Accident Reconstruction
- Arson Determination
- Fraud Investigations and Analysis
- Computer Assisted Reconstruction
- Mechanical Failures
- Electrical Failures
- Personal Injury
- RV / Auto / Motorcycle Fire Determinations
Marine Vessel & Cargo / Shipping Container Fires
Establishing Why a Marine Vessel or Cargo Fire Occurred
FAEC’s highly trained fire experts can establish why a marine vessel or cargo containers fire occurred. Our fire and explosion investigators work together with certified marine investigators to provide a full range of services, including fire scene processing, evidence collection and storage, and thorough reports delivered to you in a timely manner.
We address issues of burn patterns and sequence, chemical accelerants, and accurately determine the cause of the subject fire or explosion. We can then recommend corrective actions to avoid the risk of recurrence. In marine vessel and cargo fires, our team of certified marine investigators with fire Cause & Origin backgrounds are the perfect team in order to address every angle of marine fires.
Related Proficiencies:
- Marine Loss Analysis
- Shipboard Fire and Explosion
- Commercial Vessel Operational Safety Issues
- Fuel System Defect Analysis
- Crew Member Injuries
System Failures
Establishing Why System Failures Occurred
Forensic Analysis & Engineering’s fire investigators have been called upon frequently to determine the cause of fire or explosion in components ranging in size, scope and complexity- from power generating steam boilers to HVAC systems and complex industrial machinery. When these types of system failures result in a fire, there are often a variety of causes.
Our investigators will establish why the failure occurred, by systematically processing the scene to determine origin and cause. Our facts will provide fair, accurate and verifiable assurance to the claims process, in a minimum of time and expense to our client.
Related Proficiencies:
- Arson Determination
- Equipment Testing and Failure Analysis
- Mechanical System Failures
- Electrical Equipment Failures
Fire Science & Testing
Fire Science Analysis Expertise
Modern fires can involve a plethora of chemicals and material substances. Forensic Analysis & Engineering’s fire science division has scientists and experts trained to perform the analysis and application of fire science, fire behavior, and the specific chemistry to your fire case. We establish why a fire occurred through research and testing in our fire dynamics lab.
Our fire science experts employ decades of experience utilizing considerable strategy, expert technique, and an understanding of the science that governs fires. We are the ideal partner for fire science cases because of our balanced approach that joins expertise in both fire scene investigations and fire science applications.
Related Proficiencies:
- Material Testing
- Evidence Collection, Analysis & Storage
- Fire Protection
- Artificial Room Reconstructions/ Fire Scene Reenactments
National Electric Code
NEC Regulations Expertise
The National Electrical Code (NEC) is a comprehensive set of regulations that lays the foundation for electrical safety for residential, commercial, and industrial installations. The NEC has been updated every 3 years since 1897, and the 2017 code alone has hundreds of updates from the previous version. There have been 15 new editions published since the average American home was built!
Each State and Locality has the option to adopt some or all of the NEC codes as they are updated. FAEC professionals can determine which of the codes apply to the area where the loss occurred. In cases of electrical fires, FAEC engineers, experts, and fire investigators can isolate and determine if the affected electrical wiring and components adhered to the NEC standards that were in place at the time of original installation. They can identify if the component was at fault, and if it was properly installed at that time.
Related Proficiencies:
- NFPA Codes & Standards Compliance
- Risk Management Assessment
- Product Defect Determination
- Modular Construction and RVs
