To the untrained eye, a room destroyed by fire is nothing more than ashes and debris. But to the fire investigators, what remains are clues that can possibly explain how and where the fire started. Armed with sophisticated equipment, these specialist firefighters brave the dangers and hazards in a post-fire scene to hunt for the evidence. To educate the public on their investigative nature of work, SCDF collaborated with The Straits Times RazorTV from October to December 2011 on an online series entitled “Fire Investigators”, which find out what goes on after the flames go out. Viewers get to learn the fundamentals of fire investigation, and see the fire investigators gather evidence using specialised equipment like the hydrocarbon gas detector and panoramic camera. Fire Investigation Dogs are also deployed onsite to sniff out minute amounts of accelerants which are substances used as catalysts to intentionally set or spread fire.
The Sunday Times , Sep 30 2007
Additionally, SCDF fire investigators do get activated for road traffic accidents to ascertain the real causes. Do a badly-burnt passenger cabin with minimal engine damage and the lack of skid marks portend a suicide attempt? This is the real “CSI” series. Viewers will also learn some home fire prevention tips.
A Fire Investigator at work with his equipment
Arson or Accident – SCDF Fire Investigators on Razor TV
Filed under: Events, Fire Prevention & Safety, In the Spotlight Tagged: | accident, Arson, Ashes, blaze, Burn, CSI, fire, fire engine, Fire Investigators, fireman, Investigate, Razor TV, SCDF
