THE ROLE OF CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE IN ARS

ON INVESTIGATION

* There is more than one circumstance

* The facts from which the inferences are derived or
are proved
* The combination of all the circumstances is such
as to produce a conviction beyond a reasonable
doubt
Example of Circumstantail Evidenc
e
• testimony of a witness showing that accused was seen lea
ving the burned house five minutes before the outbreak o
f the fire
• testimony of a witness that the accused was the only pers
on who had been in the burned house from the time he w
as seen leaving it five minutes before the outbreak of the
fire up to the actual occurrence of the fire
• fingerprints of the accused on a gasoline container
• testimony of a witness saying he smeled odor of gasoline
emanating from the house shortly before the fire
• Excessive insurance
 Causes of fire
• The cause of a fire usually can be determined from
a detailed inspection of the charred debris combus
tible, devices and residues located at the point of (o
r within the area of ) origin. Theoretically, the cause
of fire can be categorized into three classifications:
natural accidental and incendiary.
 Recording the scene
• In recording any fire or explosion scene, the investig
ator's goal is to record the scene through a medium
that will allow the investigator to recall his or her o
bservation at a letter date and to document the con
ditions at the scene. Common methods of accompli
shing this goal include the use of photographs, vide
otapes, diagrams, map, overlays, recorsind and not
es.
• A ) Photography
• B ) Timing
• C ) Basics
• D ) Composition and Techniques
• E ) Sequential Photos
• F ) Mosaics
• G ) Assisting Photographer
• H ) Suggested Activities to be Documented
Fire Investigation Drawings
• After selecting the level of detail to which a drawing wi
ll be made, the fire investigator needs to decide how to
record the damage patterns observed during the inves
tigation. Supplemented by photographs, drawings of d
amage provide good documentation of a fire scene and
can assist the investigator in re-analyzing a fire scene if
previously inknown information becomes available.

• A ) Selection of Drawings
• B ) Symbols
• Republic Act No. 9514 December 19,2008 Repeal
ed PD 1185

• AN ACT ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE FIRE CO

DE OF THE PHILIPPINES REPEALING PRESIDENTIAL D
ECREE NO.1185 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
• Be it enacted by the senate and house of represent
atives of the Philippines in Congress assembled
• Section 1. This Act shall be known as the "Revised
Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008"
• Section 2. It is the policy of the State of ensure publ
ic safett and promote economic development throu
gh the prevention and suppression of all kinds of de
structive fires and promote the professionalization
of the fire service as a profession. Towards this end,
the state shall enforce all laws, rules and regulation
to ensure adherence to standard fire prevention an
d safety measures, and promote accountability for
fire safety in the fire protection service and preventi
on service.
• Section 3. Definition of terms - As used in this Fire
Code, the following words and phrases shall mean
and be construed as indicated:
• Abatement - Any act that would remove or neutrali
ze a fire hazardhazard.
• administrator - Any person who acts as agent of the
owner and manages the use of a building for him.
• Blasting agent - Any material or mixture consisting
of a fuel and oxidizer used to set off explosives.
• Cellulose Nitrate or Nitro Cellulose - A highly cumbu
stible and explosive compound produced by the rea
ction of nitric acid with a cellulose material.
• Cellulose Nitrate Plastic (pyroxylin) - Any plastic sub
stance, materials or compound having cellulose nitr
ate ( nitro cellulose ) as base .
• Combustible, Flammable or Inflammable - Descripti
ve of material that are easily set on fire
• Combustibe Fiber - Any readily ignitable and free b
urning fiber such as cotton, oakum, rags, waste clo
th, waste paper, kapok, hay straw, panish moss, exc
elsior and other similar material commonly used in
commerce.

waste cloth waste paper Kapok

hay
• Combustible liquid - Any liquid having a flash point
at or above 37.8_C (100_F)
• Corrosive liquid - Any liquid which causes fire when
in contact with organic matter or with certain chem
icals.
• Curtain Board - A vertical panel of non-combustible
or fire resistive materials attached to and extending
below the bottom chord of the roof trusses, to divid
e the underside of the roof into separate compartm
ents so that heat and smoke will be directed upwar
ds to a roof vent.
• Cryogenic - Descriptive of any material which by its
nature or as a result of its reaction with other elem
ents produces a rapid drop in temperature of the i
mmediate surroudings.
• Damper - A normally open device installed inside an
air duct system which automatically closes to restric
t the passage of smoke or fire.
• Distillation - The process of first raising the tempera
ture in separate the more volatie from the less violit
e parts and then cooling and condensing the resulti
ng vapor so as to produce a nearly purified substan
ce.
• Duct System - A comtinuous passageway for the tra
nsmission of air
• Dust - A finely powdered substance which, when mi
xed with air in the proper proportion and ignited wi
ll cause an explosion.
• Electrical Arc - An extremely hot luminous bridge fo
rmed by passage of an electric current across a spa
ce between two conductors or terminal due to the i
ncandescence of the conducting vapor.
• Ember - A hot piece or lump that remains after a m
aterial has partially burned, and is still oxidizing wit
hout the manifestation of flames.
• Finishes - Material used as final coating of a surface
for ornamental or protective purposes.
• Fire - The active principle of burning, characterized
by the heat and light of combustiom.
• Fire Trap - A building unsafe in case of fire because i
t will burn easily or because it lacks adequate exits
or fire escapes.
• Fire Alarm - Any visual or audible signal produced b
y a device or system to warm the occupants of the
building or firefighting elements of the presence or
danger of fire to enable them to undertake immedi
ate action to save life and property and to suppress
the fire.
• Fire Door - A fire resistive door prescribed for openi
ngs in fire separation walls or partitions.
• Fire Hazard - Any condition or act which increases o
r may cause an increase in the probability of the oc
currence of fire, or which may obstruct, delay, hind
er or interfere with fire fighting operating and the s
afeguarding of fire and property.
• Fire Lane - The portion of a roadway or publicway t
hat should be kept opened and unobstructed at all
times for the expedient operation of fire fighting un
its.
• Fire Protective And Fire Safety Device - Any device i
ntended for the protection of buildings or persons t
o include but not limited to built-in protection syste
m such as sprinklers and other automatic extinguish
ing system, detectors for heat, smoke and combusti
on product and other warning system components ,
personal protective equipment such as fire blankets
, helmets, fire suits, gloves and other garment that
may be put on or worn by persons to protect thems
elves during fire.
• Fire Safety Construction - Refers tondesign and inst
allation of wall, barriers, doors, windows, vents, me
an of egress, etc integral to and incorporated into a
building or structure in order to minimize danger. to
life form fire, smoke, fumes or panic beforee the bu
ilding is evacuated. These features are also designe
d to achieve, among others, safe and rapid evacuati
on of people through means of egress sealed from s
moke or fire, the confinement of fire or smoke in th
e room or floor or origin and delay their spread to o
ther parts of the building by means of smoke sealed
and fire resistant doors, walls and floors. It shall als
o mean to include the treatment of buildings comp
onents or contents with flame retardant chemicals .
• Flash Point - The minimum temperature at which a
ny material gives off vapor in sufficient concentratio
n to form an ignitable mixture with air.
• Forcing - A process where a piece of metal is heated
prior to changing its shape or dimension.
• Fulminate - A kind of stable explosive compound w
hich explodes by percussion .
• hazardous Operation/Process - Any act of manufact
uring, fabrication, conversion, etc., that uses or pro
duces material which are likely to cause fires or expl
osions.
• Horizontal Exit - passageway form one building to a
nother or through or around a wall in approximatel
y the same floor level.
• Hose Box - A box or cabinet where fire hoses, valves
and other equipment are stored and arranged for fi
re fighting.
• Hose Reel - A cylindrical device turning on an axis ar
ound which a fire hose is would and connected.
• Hypergolic Fuel - A rocket or liquid propellant which
consist or combinations of fuels and oxidizer which
ignite spontaneously on contact with each other.
• Industrial Baking And Drying - The industrial proces
s of subjecting materials to heat