Fire/Arson Investigation – BFP Operational Procedures Summary

Investigative Authority & Purpose

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is legally empowered to examine all fire incidents, determine origin and cause, identify liable persons, support prosecution, and aid in prevention. Accurate origin determination guides cause analysis, legal accountability, and future safety measures.

Investigation Team & Roles

A designated Fire Arson Investigation Team operates under a Team Leader. Key positions: Lead Fire Arson Investigator (FAI), Fire-Scene Photographer, Sketch Preparer, Evidence Recovery Personnel, Security Personnel, and Arson Laboratory Section. Role assignment ensures scene control, documentation, evidence integrity, and safety.

Investigation Procedure

• FAI receives assignment, secures scene, and conducts initial witness interviews.
• Team Leader sets up an Incident Command Post, performs a systematic walkthrough, reconstructs fire spread, and oversees sketches.
• Photographer documents the untouched scene; Sketch Preparer diagrams origin and spatial relationships.
• FAI compiles an evidence inventory, Fire Investigation Response Form, and submits a Spot Investigation Report within one day.
• Progress and final reports follow prescribed timelines; scene is released or held depending on findings.

Evidence Handling & Chain of Custody

Evidence is photographed in situ with an independent witness, labeled, sealed, and listed in the Evidence Collection and Recovery Record, then linked to the Evidence Chain of Custody form. Items reach the BFP-NHQ Arson Laboratory within three days. Procedures comply with Memorandum Circular 2010-LAB-01 to prevent spoliation.

Documentation: Photography & Sketches

Photography proceeds from general to close-up views, avoiding personnel in frame. Sketches complement photos, showing measurements, compass points, legend, scale, and title. Types include overview (bird’s-eye), elevated, and exploded (cross-projection). Rough sketches are made on-site; finished versions are prepared for court.

Search Methods

Line/Strip, Double Strip, Spiral, Zone (Quadrant/Sector), Wheel (Radial), and Point-to-Point searches provide systematic coverage of the scene, halting when evidence appears for immediate documentation.

Jurisdiction & Coordination

Investigation authority scales with estimated damage: Municipal (≤ twenty million pesos), City (≤ thirty million), Provincial/District (> thirty to forty million), Regional (> forty to sixty million), and BFP-NHQ (≥ sixty million). Special incidents require liaison with MARINA, Civil Aviation Authority, DENR, PNP, NBI, AFP, PEZA, or local SOCO units as applicable.

Legal Protocols & Suspect Handling

Arrested suspects receive constitutional warnings (right to silence and counsel). Rights may be waived only in writing before counsel. Medical examination precedes and follows custody transfer. Inquest occurs within thirty-six hours before the proper prosecutor, and FAI monitors the case until resolution.

Court Duties

FAI and BFP personnel attend hearings in complete General Office Attire, bringing original or authenticated records only when summoned, and secure a Certificate of Appearance from the Clerk of Court.

Reinvestigation Guidelines

Higher offices may reopen cases when new evidence, witnesses, or high-profile status arises. Upon approval, previous clearances are suspended, and reinvestigation must finish within thirty working days with immediate reporting to the BFP Chief.

Fire Damage Cost Assessment

A standard guide classifies structures by construction and occupancy, assigning damage estimates from two hundred fifty pesos (makeshift houses) to eighty thousand pesos (luxury high-rise condominiums).

Effectiveness Criteria

Success indicators: precise origin identification, complete casualty accounting, secure scene preservation, timely and accurate reporting, initiation of proper legal action, and eventual arson conviction where warranted.

Evidence Types & Preservation

Collect containers that may retain accelerants, ashes, fingerprints, incendiary devices, forced-entry tools, and relevant documents. Solids are sawed or picked into sealed plastic, liquids drawn with droppers into vials, and gases transferred to wide-mouthed jars. All items must be photographed, labeled, sealed, and transferred to the evidence custodian without delay.