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Fire Investigation Section

Fire Investigation Section

The Fire Investigation Section performs experimental studies on the examination of various fire causes, including electrical failures, improper uses of heating and cooking utensils, spontaneous heating, cigarettes, and other sources. Studies based on full-scale tests with reconstructed scenes of serious or incendiary fires and electrical ignition sources of gas explosions are also conducted. The results of these studies are applied to identify the fire causes in actual scene investigations.

Studies on forensic applications of fire dynamics

Car fire deliberately started

Car fire deliberately started
Flame spread to the car from a solid fuel placed on the ground.

Full-scale fire tests are often required to confirm the results of scene investigations, what caused the fire, when it started, and how it spread. These tests can be done in our fire test room, which is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. A more-effective use of the principles of fire science and fire dynamics based on experimental data is the objective of this study.

Studies on electrical causes of fire

Results of poor connections in electrical plugs.

Results of poor connections in electrical plugs.
Left: Thermal degradation of PVC around a plug prong. 
Right: Glowing wire at a loosened screw terminal.

Electrical fires result from various causes such as overly excessive current, poor connections, glowing connections, short circuits, grounding faults, breaking of wire strands, deterioration of insulating materials, and defects in electrical apparatus or devices. Studies of the process, igniting ability, and evidence of these failures have been conducted to identify the causes of these fires.

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