I-ENG-A® OF ORANGE COUNTY

Professional Forensic Engineering

Origin and Cause

I-ENG-A members perform fire investigations for a wide variety of cases including:

• Fires and Explosions
• Heating Equipment and System Failures
• Electrical Appliance and/or Wiring Malfunctions
• Fireplace or Furnace Misuse
• Arson
• Industrial Equipment Failures or Malfunctions
• Chemical Reactions

Initial Investigations

The investigation begins with a visual overview. A site inspection is performed for point of origin determination, mapping, interviewing, and photographic survey. Physical evidence should, if possible, be retrieved and preserved for laboratory testing.

Analysis

Suspected evidence is researched and tested to narrow the search and isolate the cause of the fire. Examinations of components may be performed to determine the cause of any malfunctions, improper installation, lack of servicing, or careless use or abuse of equipment. Operating temperature profiles of equipment and devices must be found. Samples may need to be analyzed by a laboratory to determine the presence of an accelerant.

Conclusions

I-ENG-A members leverage profound expert knowledge from within their own companies as well as other experts in member firms throughout North America. The result is the generation of an easily-understood written document produced from knowledge rather than supposition, stating the cause/origin relationship of a particular fire. If the evidence can be found, the scientific I-ENG-A approach will usually reveal it.