Page 9 - A Burning Question Fire Debris

Pre-Lab

Solutions

1. Fill in the Blank: liquids poured onto that area have likely burned
Ignitable Liquid is a substance that readily completely or degraded.
ignites when exposed to an ignition source.

5. True or False:
2. Does the presence of an ignitable liquid Activated charcoal is a form of carbon that has
indicate a fire was a result of arson? been specifically processed to be extremely
porous and to have a large surface area capable
No, because the ignitable liquid may have been of adsorption.
present under normal circumstances and may
not have been used as a fire accelerant. True

3. What factors may indicate to an investigator 6. What are the disadvantages of using carbon
that an ignitable liquid is present at the scene disulfide as a desorption solvent?
of a fire? Carbon disulfide has a strong, unpleasant odor, is
A pour pattern, unnatural flame movement, extremely flammable, and, at high levels, represents
gapping of wood or floor seams, damage with no a significant health hazard to the nervous system.
identifiable point of origin, burned out flooring
bemneath heavy appliances or furniture that
would normally shield the floor, and inverted 7. How is the presence of an ignitable liquid at a
cone-shaped burn patterns on vertical surfaces. fire scene confirmed?
Analysis by GC-MS

4. If a fire investigator identifies a pour pattern
at a fire scene, should a sample be taken from 8. Why are colorimetric tubes sometimes used to
a dark, heavily burned section of the pour test fire debris samples?
pattern? Why or why not? To screen for the presence of ignitable liquids
No, because the dark, heavily burned are is because laboratory analysis can be time
unlikely to generate good results as ignitable consuming and expensive.

THE MYSTERY OF LYLE AND LOUISE 9