The ATS Family of Companies provides fire scene investigation services that examine all fire-related incidents after firefighters have extinguished the fire.
Fire Chemistry
Three crucial components must be present for a fire to start: an oxidant, a fuel source, and a sufficient amount of energy in heat form. A fourth factor—a self-sustaining chemical chain reaction—creates a fire tetrahedron.
The absence of these factors results in a fire not starting or a fire extinguishing through:
- Cooling (Heat Removal)
- Smothering (Oxygen Removal)
- Starving (Fuel Removal)
Heating Process
The heating process causes both liquids and solids to create vapors. This is known as pyrolysis and forms pyrolysis products— flammable substances of low molecular weight—by decomposing materials through fire.
The heat a fire produces can spread in three different ways:
- Conduction: The transfer of heat through direct contact with a medium
- Convection: The transfer of heat through the circulation of air
- Radiation: The emission of heat as radiation through a medium
Safety Concerns
A fire scene increases the risk of possible hazards, such as asbestos, damage, debris, electricity and gas mines, heated materials, structural collapses, dangerous combustion products, and other toxic substances. Experts must conduct a dynamic risk assessment at the scene to declare it safe.
Fire Scene Investigation Services at ATS
The ATS Family of Companies performs fire scene investigation, closely surveying the scene of a fire to locate its origin and cause. We conclude whether the fire was natural, accidental, or deliberate, ensuring that similar situations do not happen again and aiding in legal investigations of deliberate fires.
Commercial and Residential Properties
Our expert investigators provide valuable information regarding an appliance, equipment, material failure, third-party contribution, lack of maintenance, construction defect, or arson. We also provide images of the fire scene with our FARO 3-D laser scanner.
Vehicles and Heavy Equipment
We identify the origin and cause of a fire in vehicles and heavy equipment, determining whether the loss resulted from natural, accidental, or intentional actions.
Quality Assurance
The ATS Family of Companies strictly adheres to the rules and regulations of the authoritative engineering board in each state, staffing licensed investigators to perform all fire-related services.
Contact Us
Contact us by calling +1 (888) 287-5227 or filling out the webform on this page to schedule fire scene investigation services.
