Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
causes of these fi res indicates that the most common
indicators of such fi res are:
The reasons why individuals deliberately set
fi res are often complex and interrelated but
include:
➤
Electrical distribution
➤
Other electrical appliances
➤
Smokers' materials
➤
Cigarette lighters
➤
➤
The excitement/power of seeing a fi re
develop
Matches and candles
➤
An ongoing dispute with a neighbour
➤
Cooking appliances
➤
Heating appliances
➤
➤
A grudge held by a disatisfi ed customer
➤
A grudge held by a dissatisfi ed previ-
ous employee
➤
To gain an advantage against a busi-
ness competitor
Blowlamps, welding and cutting equipment
➤
Central and water heating devices.
However, when investigating the causes of a fi re it is
necessary to consider a number of other causes which
include chemical reactions, heat from mechanical fric-
tion, spontaneous combustion and static electricity.
➤
To cover up another crime, for example
robbery, murder
➤
To defraud an insurance company
➤
To circumvent planning requirements
for redevelopment of buildings.
Deliberately set fi res
In the UK in 2003, in contrast to the number of acciden-
tal fi res, there were 355 500 that Fire Services consider
were deliberately set. A great proportion of deliberately
set fi res involve car fi res where vehicles used for crim-
inal purposes, robbery, or more usually joy riding are
abandoned in remote areas and set on fi re in an attempt
to destroy forensic evidence. Arson is the largest single
cause of major fi res in the United Kingdom, currently
costing an estimated £2.2 billion a year, which equates
to £44 million every week.
➤
The fact that the fi re may have several 'seats' or
places where it started
➤
Signs of breaking and entering to the premises
➤
Valuable or sentimental items that have been
removed prior to the fi re.
False alarms
In the UK in 2003 there was a total of 365 000 false
alarms made to local authority Fire Services. About 90%
of automatic fi re detection and fi re alarm systems do
not regularly cause false alarms. However, the remaining
10% are involved in most false alarms. Every false alarm
causes disruption. The cost of false alarms in the UK is
estimated to be about £1 billion a year.
Responding to false alarms diverts the Fire and
Rescue Service from their fi re prevention duties, or from
Figure 12.9
Damage to records and stored items follow-
ing an arson attack
Although the reasons why people will deliberately set a fi re
may be complex, there are some simple indications that
will indicate that a fi re has been deliberately set, including:
➤
The existence of any of the reasons listed above
➤
The fact that the fi re involved accelerants that would
not normally be in the vicinity of the fi re
Figure 12.10
False alarms degrade the ability of the fi re
and rescue service to respond to genuine emergencies
