FORENSIC ANALYSIS OF IGNITABLE LIQUID FUEL FIRES IN BUILDINGS

The proposed research will characterize the fire dynamics and evaluate forensic analysis tools for ignitable liquid fuel fires in compartments. This research will build off a current NIJ grant that is aimed at characterizing the fire dynamics of liquid fuel spill fires in the open. This proposal will expand the fundamental understanding of ignitable liquid fuel (accelerant) fire dynamics when burned within an enclosure to provide a quantitative basis for assessing the utility of forensic tools, including damage patterns, fire debris sampling techniques and ignitable liquid residue measurements. Completion of the project will improve the practice of fire investigation by providing a technical basis for realistic arson and accidental fire scenarios, improving fire scene interpretation, and evaluating sampling and measurement techniques.

ca/ncf