ABSTRACT
Fire is one of the most destructive forces encountered in the modern environment. Fires can occur in residential dwellings, non-residential structures, motor vehicles, ships and aircraft, industrial plants, underground mines and open spaces, all of which can lead to significant loss of human life. Fires can arise through natural causes or result from accidents or negligence. They can be used legitimately and legally to dispose of the dead, and can also be employed in an attempt to destroy forensic evidence in criminal cases (often in an attempt to prevent identification of a victim), to cover up a homicide, or to prevent recovery of human remains and any associated forensic trace evidence (Fanton et al., 2006).
