ABSTRACT
The laboratory analysis of fire debris is one of the most important hypothesis tests that can be performed in an investigation, especially when the investigator forms a hypothesis that the fire was set using ignitable liquids. As a result of what has been learned in the past 20 years about burn pattern production, laboratory analysis is the only valid way to conclusively determine that an ignitable liquid was used to start a fire, at least in a compartment that has become fully involved. Even when the compartment is not fully involved and there is a burn pattern similar to the one shown in Figure 5.1, the investigator still needs to determine the identity of the ignitable liquid.
