Chapter 30: Fire and Fire Investigations
Spoliation →the intentional or negligent destruction or alteration of evidence.
Using fire to cover up the cause of another crime
Turpentine — Non-petroleum based
Naphtha — Petroleum‑based.
Kerosene — Petroleum‑based.
Gasoline — Petroleum‑based.
Gasoline is an example of a explosive in a aerosol can
The presence of soot is an easy way to determine if a combustion reaction was complete or incomplete.
Soot left behind indicates and incomplete combustion reaction
Conduction → Heat travels through solids as vibrating particles and free electrons bump into neighboring particles.
Radiation → Heat transfer by electromagnetic waves, not particle collisions.
Convection → Heat transfer by fluid movement, not solids.
Explosive energy may be in the form of stored nuclear energy, for example in uranium-235 or plutonium-239, in the form of pressurized gas, such as in an aerosol can or gas cylinder, or chemical, such as dynamite or nitroglycerin.
First-Degree Burns → damage to the outer layer of skin (epidermis), characterized by redness and minor swelling, typically healing within a few days.
Second-Degree Burns → can be classified as partial or full thickness burns
Partial thickness involves the entire epidermis and upper layers of the dermis.
When you apply pressure to the burn it blanches.
Full Thickness involves the destruction of the entire epidermis and most of the dermis.
Pressure results in sluggish or absent blanching
Third-Degree Burns → all layers of the skin are destroyed, and the damage extends into the subcutaneous tissues.
The injury can appear black or white, and will have a dry and leathery texture
When pressure is applied to the burn there will be no blanching.
Fourth-Degree Burns → the burn penetrates through the skin and burns the underlying muscle and ligaments.
Fifth degree burns → characterized by penetration of the muscle and the start of burning of the bone.
Sixth-Degree Burns → the burn has charred the underlying bone.