š„ Things Are Heating Up
Your friendly neighborhood Ned reporting on another fire investigation.
Even though I am out of the neighborhood for a while. At least, the neighborhood of Florida. Itās actually a relief to walk around Alaska not sweating my behind off.
Things are heating up here. Did you know thereās a myth that the area of origin is always at the lowest point with the most damage?
Yeah, well I did not. That information sounded good to me.
šŖ£ Ash, Soot, and a Paint Can
I learned it wasnāt entirely accurate while I was scooping up some ash and soot at a crime scene and putting it into a new paint can. The investigator told me about all the fire-investigation myths of the past while admonishing me to make sure that paint can was sealed airtight.
Apparently suspicious ash and soot donāt appreciate fresh air, who woulda known?
Just like my detective work in all the Crack the Case Books, fire investigators are putting together the patterns at the fire scene. So funny that the firefighters that came before them might have unintentionally messed up the evidence.
š Put Out the Fire or Solve the Crime?
Whatās more importantā¦ putting out the fire or figuring out whodone it? I guess that depends on who you ask.
In this case, if Iām not dodging moose, Iām fighting to fall asleep at 5 p.m. Or wait, I mean 11 p.m. It just looks like early evening out there. How do people do it?
Somewhere in between all that, Iām finding out the motivations of a new cast of kooky characters.
š Don’t Jump to Conclusions
The thing about arson, and crime suspects, donāt just look at the place that burned the most. And you donāt assume proof of origin by one burn pattern.
Same goes for suspects. One guilty-looking pattern doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve found the guilty person.
Not much to share at this point, my fellow crime scene investigators, but start reading up on ice fishing and the gold rush. Just donāt do any rushing yourself. This oneās going to take some time.
Until next time, š„keep sleuthing
ā Ned
šš§Ŗ Crime Scene Tech Tip:
Myth: The most heavily damaged or lowest area is automatically the point of origin.
Reality: Fire investigators examine multiple fire patterns and other evidence to determine the area of origin. Fire spread, ventilation, and firefighting activities can all affect those patterns. One burn pattern rarely tells the whole story.
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