VOL Canadian Association of Fire Investigators. Association Canadienne des Enquêteurs Incendie

Transcription

1 VOL Canadian Association of Fire Investigators Association Canadienne des Enquêteurs Incendie

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS A Quick Message from the Editor...4 President s Message... 5 Consumer Product Safety Commission Product Recalls...7 CAFI Committees and Activities Arc Mapping: Determining the Origin by Vladimir Chlistovsky CAFI Membership Renewal Notice...20 Save the Date Chapter 6 Spring Seminar Electrical Fire Causation by David Hines...22 CAFI 2016 Membership Survey Results Summary...25 ADVERTISERS' INDEX Actlabs... 4 Caskanette Udall Consulting Engineers Discipio Associates Incorporated Origin and Cause EDITORIAL COMMITTEE All submissions including advertising and meeting notices must be received by the Editorial Committee 30 days prior to the month of issue. CAFI EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President Val Chlistovsky, CCFI-C Origin and Cause Inc. Mississauga, ON president@cafi.ca 1st Vice-President David Slipp ESM Solutions Calgary, AB David.Slipp@esmsolutions.ca 2nd Vice-President Jeffrey Minten, CCFI-C Office of the Fire Marshall & Emergency Management Midhurst, ON Jeffrey.Minten@ontario.ca Past-President Jacquie Link, CCFI-C AIS Enterprises Mission, BC Cafi_bc@shaw.ca National Executive Secretary Hélène Lamadeleine Golden Planners Inc. Ottawa, ON cafi@cafi.ca Lamadeleine@goldenplanners.ca REGIONAL DIRECTORS ONTARIO MIKE POTVIN Office of the Fire Marshall Shanty Bay, ON Michael.Potvin@ontario.ca Matt Roberts B.Sc.F.S., CFEI, CCFI C Associate, -30- Forensic Engineering 40 University Ave., Suite 800, Toronto, ON M5J 1T1 T F mroberts@30fe.com WESTERN CANADA DAVID SLIPP ESM Solutions Calgary, AB David.Slipp@esmsolutions.ca Larry Cocco... Office of the Fire Marshal Daniel Langlois... CSA Group Steve Smith... ESA Jason D Ornellas... ROAR Engineering We invite representatives and any other interested people from any of the following industries who might like to join the Editorial Committee to contact us (cafi@cafi.ca) to help us expand the diversity and number of its members: REGIONAL DIRECTOR KURT GAGAIN, CCFI-C Advanced Fire Forensics Timmins, ON aff@persona.ca Insurance Industry Legal Industry Fire Services Industry Regulatory Industry Engineering/Forensic Sciences Industry This journal is published by the Canadian Association of Fire Investigators to provide a forum for the exchange of technical information and to unite for mutual benefit persons engaged in fire investigation. The editorial policy of the association is to review and edit all submissions prior to printing, reserving the right to accept or reject submissions as decided by the Editorial Committee. The articles contained herein are published as submitted by the authors. In a few cases, minor changes were made to maintain consistent format. Any statements or views expressed in this publication are entirely those of the authors. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for their use. CAFI and the Editorial Committee assume no liability for the accuracy, completeness or the application of the information herein. 2 REGIONAL DIRECTOR TIMOTHY IRISH, CCFI-C Office of the Fire Marshall & Emergency Management Thunder Bay, ON Timothy.Irish@ontario.ca

3 PAST MANAGING EDITORS PAST PRESIDENTS CONTINUED THOMAS B. SPEAKMAN* DANIEL B. LEMIEUX...BURNABY, BC GEORGE K. SPARK* JOOP TAYLOR...NEWMARKET, ON GREG MADILL DON PHILLIPS...CALGARY, AB DANIEL LANGLOIS LES MCPHEE*...NEPEAN, ON STEPHEN HAWKEN WALLY MATTHEWS...CALGARY, AB JAMES BENNETT D. BRIAN MONKMAN...WINNIPEG, MB JASON D ORNELLAS GREG MADILL...TORONTO, ON GEOFFREY BEECHEY...TORONTO, ON PROVISIONAL FOUNDING DIRECTORS DANIEL LANGLOIS...AURORA, ON JEAN-CLAUDE CLOUTIER... MISSISSAUGA, ON TREVOR BAIN...MIDHURST, ON THOMAS B. SPEAKMAN*... BURLINGTON, ON KIM AYOTTE...OTTAWA, ON E. MURRAY SWIFT... ETOBICOKE, ON PETER MCADAM...TORONTO, ON ALAN C. WILLIAMS*... SCARBOROUGH, ON SCOTT BROAD...TORONTO, ON PAST NATIONAL SECRETARIES JACQUIE LINK...MISSION, BC MURRAY SWIFT HONOURARY LIFE MEMBERSHIPS HAVE RECENTLY BEEN BESTOWED TO: THOMAS B. SPEAKMAN* KENNY PIPHER ALAN C. WILLIAMS*...TRENTON, ON RON SEFTON DONALD M. BRYAN*...GRAVENHURST, ON JOHN COULL DANIEL B. LANGLOIS...AURORA, ON KATHRYN CYR DANIEL B. LEMIEUX...BURNABY, BC CORPORATE AWARDS KEN J. PIPHER...CAMBRIDGE, ON The Canadian Association of Fire Investigators gratefully recognizes the invaluable contri- DON PHILLIPS...CALGARY, AB butions of the following corporations which, through their long-standing support for CAFI, JOOP TAYLOR...NEWMARKET, ON have furthered the aims and objectives of this association. JOHN HOLESWORTH...WHITEHORSE, YT THE INSURANCE CRIME PREVENTION BUREAU EARL MOKER...RED DEER, AB THE OFFICE OF THE FIRE MARSHAL OF ONTARIO LEO ODETTE...WINNIPEG, MB THE CANADIAN STANDARDS ASSOCIATION GEORGE K. SPARK*...TORONTO, ON THE OFFICE OF THE FIRE COMMISSIONER OF MANITOBA E. MURRAY SWIFT...TORONTO, ON ORIGIN AND CAUSE INCORPORATED LES MCPHEE*...NEPEAN, ON ROCHON ENGINEERING INCORPORATED JOHN R. COULL...SCARBOROUGH, ON HB GROUP INSURANCE WALLY MATTHEWS...CALGARY, AB BARRIE PRESS (1994) INC PETER HEYERHOFF...OAKVILLE, ON TORONTO FIRE SERVICES D. BRIAN MONKMAN...WINNIPEG, MB OTTAWA FIRE SERVICES GREG MADILL...TORONTO, ON PAST PRESIDENTS TREVOR BAIN...NEWMARKET, ON GEOFFREY BEECHEY...TORONTO, ON THOMAS B. SPEAKMAN*...BURLINGTON, ON HONOURARY MEMBERS LEO ODETTE...WINNIPEG, MB E. MURRAY SWIFT...ETOBICOKE, ON HARRY ROME...BRAMPTON, ON JOHN HOLESWORTH...HALIFAX, NS WILLIAM WATSON*...TORONTO, ON GEORGE K. SPARK*...MISSISSAUGA, ON DOUGLAS M. LUCAS...BURLINGTON, ON ALAN C. WILLIAMS*...SCARBOROUGH, ON *DECEASED 3

4 A QUICK MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR Hello everyone, I just wanted to take this opportunity on behalf of CAFI to wish everyone a Happy Holidays! I hope everyone enjoys the break with friends and family, and please do not forget to take the necessary fire prevention precautions Journal s content and how I can improve it Thanks very much for reading the Journal and in any way. I am always looking for new and I look forward to continue to help it grow and relevant articles to the industry for my library provide relevant content and articles related that I can include in various editions moving to the fire investigation industry. forward, so please feel free to send anything Stay safe out there. my way. Matt Roberts, B.Sc.F.S., CFEI, CCFI-C around the holiday season! Contact Feedback I can be reached by at As I am just starting out in my new role as Editor of the CAFI Journal, I would really appreciate any feedback regarding the -30- Forensic Engineering mroberts@30fe.com. Please send any articles for the journal here! Alternatively, my cell phone is

5 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE A thank you to the Executive and CAFI membership for your support in my previous position as 1st Vice President and now, as incoming President. I would also like to thank the Executive Board members for their dedication, commitment and service to our association. I would especially like to thank Jacquie Link for her leadership and hard work in her role as President over the past two years. Jacquie was the force behind the reintroduction of the CCFI-C program for CAFI members. She also provided tremendous support to the Training Committee. The CCFI-C reintroduces the commitment of CAFI to excellence in the fire investigation field and a segue to CAFIs commitment to education with the upcoming introduction of a national training program. My hope is to continue where Jacquie left off, and introduce CAFIs national training program in the New Year. The CAFI AGM held on November 16th, 2016 saw a few other changes to the Executive Board. David Slipp of ESM Emergency Security Management in Calgary was elected as 1st Vice President and Jeff Minten of the Office of the Fire Marshal & Emergency Management in Midhurst, Ontario was elected as 2nd Vice President. David Slipp is the Regional Manager of ESM Solutions Security in Alberta. He is licensed in the province of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario as a Private Investigator, Executive Protection and Security Consultant. His primary focus is geared toward insurance and property protection, along with the oil and gas industry. Jeff Minten is the Supervisor of Fire Investigation and Training with the Office of the Fire Marshal & Emergency Management in Midhurst, Ontario. In his current role, Jeff develops and delivers training for fire investigators in the province of Ontario and supervises a team of Fire Investigators who perform comprehensive investigations of fire and explosion scenes, conducts comprehensive peer reviews, liaises with members of the Fire and Police Service to advise on Fire Scene investigations and triages their information to determine if OFM involvement is required. the Yukon s Fire Marshal s Office for their service and dedication during their terms of service to the association. Two other new members elected to the Board of Directors as Regional Directors are Kurt Gagain of Advanced Fire Forensics, in Timmins, Ontario and Tim Irish, Fire Investigator with the Office of the Fire Marshal & Emergency Management in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Both are new to the CAFI Board and I look forward to working with both of them. Kurt Gagain is Principal & Lead Investigator at Advanced Fire Forensics, investigating fires in structures and vehicles in northern Ontario. Kurt also has many years of experience as a firefighter with the City of Timmins Fire Department. OFM fire investigator Tim Irish is currently located in Thunder Bay and investigates fires in northern Ontario for the Office of the Fire Marshal & Emergency Management. Before joining the OFMEM, Tim was an Ident officer with the Toronto Police Service. In summary I am looking forward to working with the new National Executive, Regional Directors, Chapters and committees to identify and develop new strategies, achieve goals and explore options and possibilities for the best plan of action going forward. I will also be looking to develop new ways to involve more members and provide educational and networking opportunities for ALL Canadian professionals involved in fire investigation. I would also like to acknowledge and thank past 2nd Vice President Dan Denomme of Advanced Investigative Solutions, and Regional Directors Ken Munroe of Sweetwater Consultants Inc. and Kevin Taylor, Deputy Fire Marshal with 5 Membership renewal notices were sent out at the end of November. As CAFI is a non-profit organization annual membership fees go directly to the development of a wide range of initiatives for the support of the fire investigation industry in Canada. Please make sure that our National Executive Secretary has a current working and mailing address for you on file when you submit your membership renewal. Vladimir Chlistovsky, CCFI-C, CFEI, P.Eng. President, Canadian Association of Fire Investigators

6 CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF FIRE INVESTIGATORS VISION STATEMENT In an effort to improve public safety, reduce loss of life and property PURPOSE: damage, CAFI provides a forum for our members to encourage and promote communication, education and training in fire investigation. VISION: To be the association of choice for Canadian fire investigators seeking a forum for communication, education and training in fire investigation. VALUES: The degree to which C.A.F.I. achieves its purpose is dependent on the active participation of its members who value: Honesty Diversity and the synergy created by differing points of view. Integrity Our non-profit association status. Meaningful participation Change and continuous improvement through communication, education and training. 6 Our relationships with fire investigation and fire safety stakeholders.

7 PRODUCT SAFETY RECALLS (September 1, 2016 December 15, 2016) POLARIS RECALLS RZR XP TURBO RECREATIONAL OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES DUE TO FIRE HAZARD; SEVERE BURN INJURIES; INCLUDES PREVIOUSLY RECALLED RZR TURBO ROVS Recall date: September 1, 2016 Recall number: Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles (ROVs) The vehicles' engine can overheat and turbo system s drain tube can loosen, posing a fire hazard. Repair Polaris at from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or online at and click on Off-Road Safety Recalls on the main page for more information. About 13,000 (including the 2, 230 vehicles previously recalled on December 2015.) This recall involves all model year 2016 Polaris RZR XP Turbo and RZR XP 4 Turbo recreational off-highway vehicles. The ROVs were sold in blue, gray, orange and red and have two or four seats and a rear box. RZR is printed on the rear box or on the right and left rear fenders and Turbo on the hood or on the right and left front fenders. Polaris is stamped onto the front grill. All model and Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) are included in this recall. To check for recalled vehicles visit Polaris has received 19 reports of the ROVs catching on fire, resulting in six reports of burn injuries. One of the reported fires occurred in Utah s American Fork Canyon, which led to a young child suffering severe burns and 15 acres of forest land being destroyed. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled ROVs and contact Polaris to schedule a free repair. Consumers will receive an extended warranty on each repaired RZR Turbo and a discount towards the purchase of a new vehicle. Polaris dealers nationwide from August 2015 through July 2016 for between $25,000 and $27,500. Importer(s) Polaris Industries Inc., of Medina, Minn. Distributor(s): Polaris Industries Inc., of Medina, Minn. U.S. and Mexico POLARIS RECALLS RANGER RECREATIONAL OFFHIGHWAY VEHICLES DUE TO FIRE AND BURN HAZARDS Recall date: September 15, 2016 Recall number: Repair Polaris at from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT Monday and Friday, or online at and click on Off Road Safety Recalls at the bottom of the page for more information. About 42,500 This recall involves all model year 2014 Polaris Ranger XP 900, XP 900 EPS, and CREW 900 recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs). The recalled ROVs were sold in a variety of colors and have either three or six seats and a rear box. Ranger is printed on the rear box, and 900 is printed on the hood of the ROVs. All 2014 Ranger 900 models and Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) are included in this recall. To check for recalled vehicles by VIN, visit Polaris has received 36 reports of the recalled ROVs overheating and catching on fire, including reports of three minor burns and one sprained wrist. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled ROVs and contact Polaris to schedule a free repair. Polaris is contacting all known purchasers directly. Polaris Ranger 900 recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs). Polaris dealers nationwide from April 2013 through June 2014 for between $13,200 and $16,200. The heat shield can fall off the vehicle, posing fire and burn hazards to riders. Polaris Industries Inc., of Medina, Minn. U.S. and Mexico 7

8 GE APPLIANCES RECALLS TOP-LOADING CLOTHES WASHERS DUE TO FIRE HAZARD Manufacturer(s): GE Appliances, of Louisville, Ky. Recall date: September 15, 2016 Recall number: South Korea Notes: Health Canada's press release is available at: GE Profile top-loading clothes washers An electrical component in the washers can overheat, posing a fire hazard. Repair GE Appliances toll-free at between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at and click Recall Information at the bottom of the page for more information. About 222,000 (in addition, about 450 were sold in Canada) The recall involves three models of GE Profile high-efficiency top-loading clothes washers. The washers come in gold, gray and white and measure about four cubic feet. GE Profile is printed on the front of the washers. The model number is located on the rear cover of the washer s backsplash, above the water valve connections. Recalled washers have the following model and serial number ranges: Brand GE Profile Model WPGT9350 WPGT9360 WPGT9150 Serial Number All serial numbers included GEA Products, L.P., of Louisville, Ky. SAMSUNG RECALLS GALAXY NOTE7 SMARTPHONES DUE TO SERIOUS FIRE AND BURN HAZARDS Recall date: September 15, 2016 Recall number: Wireless carriers and electronic stores nationwide, including AT&T, Best Buy, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, Verizon stores and online at and other websites from August 2016 through September 2016 for between $850 and $890. Manufacturer(s): Samsung Electronics America Inc., of Ridgefield Park, N.J. Galaxy Note7 smartphones South Korea and The lithium-ion battery in the Galaxy Note7 smartphones can overheat and catch fire, posing a serious burn hazard to consumers. Refund/Replace Contact your wireless carrier or place of purchase, call Samsung toll-free at anytime, or go online at About 1 million Consumers should immediately unplug and stop using the recalled washers and contact GE Appliances for a free repair. Best Buy, Lowe s, Sears, The Home Depot and other stores nationwide from June 2003 through October 2011 for between $900 and $1,400. Samsung has received 92 reports of the batteries overheating in the U.S., including 26 reports of burns and 55 reports of property damage, including fires in cars and a garage. DENON RECALLS RECHARGEABLE BATTERY PACKS DUE TO FIRE AND BURN HAZARDS Recall date: September 20, 2016 Recall number: Rechargeable battery packs The rechargeable battery packs can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards. This recall involves the Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphone sold before September 15, The recalled devices have a 5.7 inch screen and were sold in the following colors: black onyx, blue coral, gold platinum and silver titanium with a matching stylus. Samsung is printed on the top front of the phone and Galaxy Note7 is printed on the back of the phone. To determine if your phone has been recalled, locate the IMEI number on the back of the phone or the packaging, and enter the IMEI number into the online registration site or call Samsung toll-free at GE Appliances has received 71 reports of internal washer components burning or catching fire, including three reports of fires resulting in about $129,000 in property damage. No injuries have been reported Consumers should immediately stop using and power down the recalled Galaxy Note7 devices purchased before September 15, Contact the wireless carrier, retail outlet or where you purchased your device to receive free of charge a new Galaxy Note7 with a different battery, a refund or a new replacement device. Go to for more details. 8 Replace Denon toll-free at from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET on Saturday or online at and click on Product Recall Information at the bottom of the page. About 3,400 (in addition, 240 were sold in Canada) This recall involves Denon s HEOS 1 Go Pack lithium-ion rechargeable battery packs for wireless speakers. Only HEOS 1 Go Packs with a 10-character alpha-numeric serial number beginning with 5 or 601G91 and ending with 3517 through 4004 are included in the recall;

9 the battery packs are black or white, hexagonshaped and have four blue LED lights and a power button. HEOS, the model and serial numbers are printed on the bottom. Only the speaker battery is being recalled. None reported Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled battery packs and contact Denon for a free replacement battery pack, including shipping. Best Buy (Magnolia), Brookstone and online at and from May 2015 through June 2016 for about $100. located in the base. The cube is primarily used for creative learning involving light in the early childhood classroom. The firm has received three reports of the light cube battery overheating and catching fire. No injuries have been reported. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled light cubes and contact Roylco for instructions on returning the light cubes for a free replacement of the light source, which contains the battery. Denon Electronics (USA) LLC, of Mahwah, N.J. Educational dealers and distributors nationwide, including Beyond Play, Charles J. Becker, Excelligence, Hatch and Kaplan from December 2013 through April 2016 for about $250. Roylco, Inc., of Anderson, S.C. Note: Health Canada s press release is available at ROYLCO RECALLS EDUCATIONAL LIGHT CUBES DUE TO FIRE HAZARD Recall date: October 13, 2016 Recall number: Educational light cubes The light cube s lithium polymer battery can overheat and catch fire, posing a fire hazard. Replace Roylco at from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at and click on Product Recall for more information. About 1,400 This recall involves the Roylco Educational Light Cubes with model number R The model number is located on the user guide included with the light cube. The educational light cube is a white cube measuring 16 inches high by 16 inches wide by 16 inches deep. The cubes have a light source and a battery SHERWOOD MARKETING RECALLS 3 SQUARES RICE AND SLOW COOKERS DUE TO FIRE, ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARDS Recall date: October 18, 2016 Recall number: Squares rice and slow cookers The rice/slow cooker s improperly installed wiring can cause electrical shorting in the unit, posing fire and electric shock hazards. Replace 3 Squares at from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or online at and click on Recall for more information. This recall involves 3 Squares-branded Tim3 Machin3 and Mini Tim3 Machin3 rice and slow cookers with fixed power cords. The 20-cup/ 4-quart or 8-cup/1.7-quart programmable electric cookers are stainless steel with black molded plastic, have a control panel/keypad on the front and measure about 11 inches in diameter and 12 inches tall. The 3Squares logo is printed on the front of the control panel. Model numbers starting with 3RC and ending in 3010S, 3020S, 3434, 5020 and 9010S are included in the recall. The model number is printed on a label on the side of the product. The firm has received three incident reports, including a cooker sparking when turned on and a cooker turning itself on. One shock injury was reported. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled rice/slow cookers and contact 3 Squares to receive a free replacement cooker, including shipping. Home, hardware, mass merchandisers and department stores nationwide and online at Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Costco, Get3Squares, Home Depot, Kohl s, Target, Wayfair and other websites from December 2015 through July 2016 for between $30 and $70, depending on the model and capacity. Sherwood Marketing, owner of the 3 Squares brand, LLC, of San Diego, Calif. Distributor(s): Sherwood Marketing, owner of the 3 Squares brand, LLC, of San Diego, Calif. CABELA S RECALLS FOOD DEHYDRATORS DUE TO FIRE HAZARD Recall date: October 20, 2016 Recall number: Cabela s food dehydrators About 175,000 (in addition, 100 were sold in Canada) Defective wiring can cause a build-up of heat, posing a fire hazard. Refund/Replace 9

10 Cabela s at anytime, or online at for more information. About 3,000 This recall involves Cabela s commercial grade 80-liter and 160-liter food dehydrators. The stainless steel dehydrators have model numbers on the 80 liter, and on the 160 liters. Model numbers are located on the back panel of the dehydrator. The firm has received nine reports of the product malfunctioning due to defective wiring. No injuries have been reported. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dehydrators and contact Cabela s to receive a replacement product or a refund. Cabela s stores nationwide and online at from August 2016 through September 2016 for about $300 for the 80-liter model and $415 for the 160-liter model. Cabela s Inc., of Sidney, Neb. Distributor(s): Cabela s Inc., of Sidney, Neb. PEG PEREGO RECALLS CHILDREN S RIDE-ON VEHICLES DUE TO FIRE AND BURN HAZARDS Peg Perego toll-free at from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, at 850recall@pegperego.com or online at and click on Customer Service and then on Recalls for more information. About 3,000 This recall involves Peg Perego s 850 Polaris Sportsman ride-on, 24-volt battery operated toy vehicles intended for children ages 5 to 7 years. The ATV-style vehicles for two people are silver, red and black and have four wheels, a flip-up backrest for the back passenger and a front and rear luggage rack. Vehicles with date codes , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and are included in this recall. The date code can be found underneath the vehicle seat. Sportsman Twin and 850 EFI appear on the side of the ride-on vehicle and Polaris appears on the side of the vehicle s seat. Peg Perego has received three reports of the children s ride-on toy vehicles overheating, including one report of a burn. Consumers should immediately stop children from using the recalled toy vehicles and contact Peg Perego to receive a free replacement circuit board with instructions, including shipping. Consumers can also access the installation instructions on the firm s website. Peg Perego is contacting known customers directly. Online retailers including and from October 2014 through April 2016 for between $500 and $600. Children s riding toy vehicles Manufacturer(s): Peg Perego USA, of Fort Wayne, Ind. A relay on the circuit board can fail causing the vehicle s motor to overheat and ignite, posing fire and burn hazards. United States Recall date: October 27, 2016 Recall number: KIKKERLAND DESIGN RECALLS TEAPOTS WITH STANDS DUE TO FIRE HAZARD Recall date: November 1, 2016 Recall number: Kikkerland and Cost Plus World Market brand teapots with bamboo stands The bamboo votive stand can catch fire, posing a fire hazard to consumers. Refund Kikkerland at from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at About 7,300 This recall involves Kikkerland and Cost Plus World Market brand teapots with bamboo stands. The 30-ounce glass teapots have a removable glass tea infuser sold with a votivecandle holder inside the bamboo stand. The Kikkerland teapots have model number TP02 printed on the packaging next to the UPC code. The Cost Plus World Market teapots have a white sticker with number printed on the packaging. No votive candles were included with the teapots. The firm has received six reports of the votive stands burning. No injuries have been reported. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled teapots and stands and contact the firm for return instructions. Consumers who purchased online will be mailed instructions on how to receive a refund. Consumers who bought the teapots at stores can return the teapots and stands for a full refund. Amazon retailers, Cost Plus World Market, Uncommon Goods and Urban Outfitters and online at from March 2014 through September 2016 for between $40 and $70. New Instructions/Replace 10

11 Kikkerland Design Inc., of New York DEHUMIDIFIERS MADE BY MIDEA RECALLED DUE TO SERIOUS FIRE AND BURN HAZARDS; $4.8 MILLION IN PROPERTY DAMAGE REPORTED Recall date: November 2, 2016 Recall number: Dehumidifiers The dehumidifiers can overheat, smoke and catch fire, posing serious fire and burn hazards. Refund/Replace GD Midea at from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or online at and click on Product Recall for more information. About 3.4 million (in addition 850,000 were sold in Canada) This recall involves 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 65, 70, and 75-pint dehumidifiers with the following brand names: Airworks, Alen, Arcticaire, Arctic King, Beaumark, Coolworks, ComfortAire, Comfort Star, Continental Electic, Crosley, Daewoo, Danby, Danby & Designer, Dayton, Degree, Diplomat, Edgestar, Excell, Fellini, Forest Air, Frigidaire, GE, Grunaire, Hanover, Honeywell, Homestyles, Hyundai, Ideal Air, Kenmore (Canada), Keystone, Kul, Midea, Nantucket, Ocean Breeze, Pelonis, Perfect Aire, Perfect Home, Polar Wind, Premiere, Professional Series, Royal Sovereign, Simplicity, Sunbeam, SPT, Sylvania, TGM, Touch Point, Trutemp, Uberhaus, Westpointe, Winix, and Winixl The brand name, model number, pint capacity and manufacture date are printed on the nameplate sticker on the back of the dehumidifier. To determine if your dehumidifier has been recalled, enter the model number at Midea has received 38 reports of smoke and fire. About $4.8 million property damage has been reported. No injuries have been reported. Consumers should immediately turn off and unplug the dehumidifiers and contact GD Midea for either a replacement unit or a partial refund. Consumers whose dehumidifiers were manufactured before October 1, 2008 will receive a partial refund, not a replacement. The manufacturing dates can be found on back of units. This recall involves Premier, Pro and Pro-XL models of the tow-behind DR leaf and lawn vacuums manufactured by Country Home Products. Recalled units have a serial number between LLV34601 and LLV The leaf and lawn vacuums are towed behind a riding lawnmower to collect leaves and are tan and black in color with a set of two wheels on each side. The DR logo with Professional Power Done Right and leaf and lawn vacuum are printed on the side of the vacuum. The serial number is located on the left side of the tow bar near the engine. Lowes, Menards, PC Richard and other stores nationwide from January 2003 through December 2013 for between $100 and $300. Manufacturer(s): GD Midea Air Conditioning Equipment Ltd., of GD Midea at from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or online at COUNTRY HOME PRODUCTS RECALLS LEAF AND LAWN VACUUMS DUE TO FIRE AND BURN HAZARDS Recall date: November 8, 2016 Recall number: Leaf and lawn vacuums The muffler can overheat and melt the air cleaner cover, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers. Repair About 3,900 Model Gallons Engine Premier 200 Electric start using the R225 engine Pro 321 Both manual starts and electric starts using the R300 engine Pro-XL 321 Both manual starts and electric starts versions using the R390 engine Serial Number LLV34601 through LLV39980 The firm has received 20 reports of the vacuums becoming hot to the touch, melting or catching fire. No injuries have been reported. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled leaf and lawn vacuums and contact Country Home Products to receive a free repair kit that contains a replacement muffler and instructions for completing the repair. Consumers unable to install the repair kit should contact the firm for information on authorized dealers who can install the free repair. Country Home Products is contacting all purchasers directly. Country Home Products catalog, website and authorized dealers nationwide, including Tractor Supply Company, from August 2014 through September 2015 for between $1,300 and $2,200. Manufacturer(s): Country Home Products Inc., of Vergennes, Vt. Country Home Products toll-free at from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, at vacrecall@chp.com or online at and click on Product Recalls for more information. 11 U.S.

12 TRANE RECALLS FURNACES DUE TO SHOCK HAZARD Recall date: November 8, 2016 Recall number: Furnaces The ground wire in the furnace s junction box can become loose. If an electrical component then fails and short circuits, the unit poses a shock hazard. Replace Trane at from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or online at or and click on Safety Recall at the bottom of the page for more information. About 17,700 This recall involves Trane, American Standard, Ameristar brand or unbranded furnaces. The recalled furnaces include serial numbers beginning with through The model and serial numbers are printed on a white label on the left or right-hand side of the unit. None reported Consumers should contact Trane to receive a free replacement junction box and free installation. The firm is contacting customers directly. Consumers should avoid contact with the furnaces until the junction box is replaced. Trane, American Standard and Ameristar independent dealers nationwide from July 2016 through August 2016 for between $400 and $4,000. Distributor(s): Trane U.S. Inc., of Tyler, Texas U.S. L.D. KICHLER RECALLS CEILING FIXTURES DUE TO FIRE HAZARD Lowe s from April 2015 through June 2016 and lighting showrooms from January 2016 through August 2016 for about $120. Recall date: November 10, 2016 Recall number: The L.D. Kichler Co., of Cleveland, Ohio Krystal Ice ceiling fixtures The 40-watt halogen bulbs sold with the ceiling fixtures burn too hot for the electrical supply wires in the ceiling, posing a fire hazard. The fixtures also pose a fire hazard in homes with older wiring, even if used with lower wattage bulbs. KIDDE RECALLS COMBINATION SMOKE/CO ALARMS DUE TO ALARM FAILURE Recall date: November 10, 2016 Recall number: Refund/Repair Kichler at from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at and click on Safety Information under the Helpful Information section at the bottom of the page for more information. About 68,600 (in addition, about 2,300 were sold in Canada) Kidde NightHawk combination smoke/carbon monoxide (CO) alarms The alarm can fail to continue to chirp when it reaches its seven year end of life if the batteries are replaced, leading consumers to believe it is still working. This poses a risk of consumers not being alerted to a fire or CO incident in their home. Replace This recall involves four style numbers of Kichler Krystal Ice flush mount ceiling fixtures with square or cylindrical chrome or bronzecolored metal cage shades and clear crystal accents. They were sold with four 40-watt light bulbs. Style numbers include 38182, 38183, 38198, and The style numbers and Kichler Home Center are printed on the inside of the canopy. Kidde toll-free at from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at and click on Product Safety Notice for more information. None reported This recall involves Kidde NightHawk talking combo smoke/co alarm with model number KN-COSM-IB and manufacture dates between June 1, 2004 and December 31, The alarms are hard-wired into a home s electric power. The unit has a compartment on the back for the installation of a replaceable 9V backup battery. The alarm is white, round and measures about 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Kidde is engraved on the front of the alarm. Kidde, the model number and manufacture dates are printed on a label on the back on the alarm. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled ceiling fixtures and remove the 40-watt bulbs. Contact Kichler for free 25 watt bulbs and new warning labels. The new labels identify 25-watts as the maximum allowable wattage and the appropriate home wiring (90 C supply wire) for use with the fixture. Consumers with older homes built before 1985 without upgraded wiring can contact the firm for a full refund. Consumers who are uncertain if their home s wiring has been upgraded can contact Kichler for more information about an inspection by a licensed electrician. 12 About 3.6 million (in addition 1.5 million were sold in Canada) Kidde has received eight reports of incidents with the recalled alarms. No injuries have been reported.

13 Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled alarms and contact Kidde directly for a free replacement alarm based on date of manufacture or a discount on a new alarm. Model Year Electrical distributors and home centers nationwide and online at from June 2004 through December 2010 for between $40 and $65. Walter Kidde Portable Equipment Inc., of Mebane, N.C. HAMMERHEAD OFF-ROAD RECALLS FUN-KARTS DUE TO FUEL LEAK AND FIRE HAZARDS Recall date: November 14, 2016 Recall number: Fun-karts The fuel tank can crack and cause the fuel to leak out, posing a fire hazard. Replace Hammerhead Off-Road toll-free at from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, at mail@hammerheadoffroad.com or and click on Latest News for more information. About 9,900 This recall involves model year 2009 through 2015 Hammerhead Off-Road GL 150, GTS 150 and GTS Platinum fun-karts. The recalled fun-karts have two seats and a rear cargo rack and were sold in red, black, white, orange, blue and green. GTS is printed on the side cage and the hood of the GTS models and Hammerhead is printed on the hood of the GL models. Serial numbers are printed on the cross bar behind the seats. Model GTS 150 GTS 150 GTS 150 GL 150 GTS 150 GL 150 GTS 150 GL 150 GTS 150 GL 150 GTS Platinum GTS 150 GL 150 GTS Platinum None reported Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled fun-karts and contact Hammerhead Off-Road to schedule a free replacement of the fuel tank. The firm is contacting all known purchasers directly. Hammerhead Off-Road dealers nationwide from August 2009 through July 2016 for between $2,100 and $2,900. Hammerhead Off-Road, of Flower Mound, Texas Distributor(s): Hammerhead Off-Road, of Flower Mound, Texas PROJECTION NIGHT LIGHTS RECALLED BY LTD COMMODITIES AND THE LAKESIDE COLLECTION DUE TO SHOCK AND FIRE HAZARDS Recall date: November 15, 2016 Recall number: Projection night lights The night lights can short circuit, posing shock and fire hazard to consumers. Refund 13 LTD Commodities toll-free at or The Lakeside Collection at between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT or visit the firm s websites at or for more information. About 39,000 This recall involves color changing projection night lights with a rotating plug and dome top with LED lights that change colors from red, blue and green. Made in and 0.6W 60Hz 120VAC are etched in the plastic base of the night lights near the plug component. The firm has received seven reports of sparks, smoke and damage to outlets. No injuries have been reported. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled projection night lights and contact the firm for instructions to receive a full refund including shipping. All known purchasers were notified directly about the recall. Sold Exclusively At: LTD Commodities and The Lakeside Collection catalogs and online at and from July 2016 through October 2016 for about $6. Manufacturer(s): Wenzhou Weihao Light Industry Co. LTD, of LTD Commodities LLC, of Bannockburn, Ill.

14 GREE REANNOUNCES DEHUMIDIFIER RECALL FOLLOWING 450 FIRES AND $19 MILLION IN PROPERTY DAMAGE; BRAND NAMES INCLUDE FRIGIDAIRE, SOLEUS AIR, KENMORE AND OTHERS Recall date: November 29, 2016 Recall number: Dehumidifiers The dehumidifiers can overheat, smoke and catch fire, posing serious fire and burn hazards to consumers. Refund Gree toll-free at (866) from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at and click on Recall for more information. About 2.5 million (in addition, 55,000 were sold in Canada) This recall was first announced in September 2013, updated in October 2013 and expanded in January This recall involves 20, 25, 30, 40, 45, 50, 65 and 70-pint dehumidifiers with brand names Danby, De Longhi, Fedders, Fellini, Frigidaire, GE, Gree, Kenmore, Norpole, Premiere, Seabreeze, SoleusAir and SuperClima. Recalled model numbers and date codes are listed below. The brand name and the pint capacity are printed on the front of the dehumidifier. The model number and date code are printed on a sticker on the back, front or side of the unit. The dehumidifiers are white, beige, gray or black plastic and measure between 19 and 24 inches tall, 13 and 15 inches wide, and 9 and 11 inches deep. There have been more than 2,000 reported incidents of dehumidifiers overheating. About 450 fires have been reported, resulting in more than $19 million in property damage. Consumers should immediately unplug and stop using recalled dehumidifiers and contact Gree for a full refund. TARGET REANNOUNCES RECALL OF MENORAHS DUE TO FIRE HAZARD Recall date: December 6, 2016 Recall number: Menorahs The menorahs can melt when the candles are burning, posing a fire hazard. Refund AAFES, HH Gregg, Home Depot, Kmart, Lowe s, Menards, Mills Fleet Farm, Sam s Club, Sears, Walmart and other stores nationwide and in Canada, and online at and from January 2005 through August 2013 for between $110 and $400. Target at from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT daily, online at and click on School/Stationery/Seasonal on the product recalls page or the Product Recalls tab on Target s Facebook page for more information. Manufacturer(s): Gree Electric Appliances, of About 2,600 (previously recalled in May 2016) Airwell of France; CNA of Wood Dale, Ill.; Danby of Ontario, Canada; De Longhi of Italy; Frigidaire, of Charlotte, N.C.; GE Appliances, of Louisville, Ky.; Gree USA Sales Ltd. of City of Industry, Calif.; IRP of Pineville, N.C.; MJC America Ltd. dba Soleus International Inc. of Walnut, Calif.; and Sunrise of Quebec, Canada. This recall involves clear acrylic Hanukkah menorahs in a pyramid design that are 10.5 inches long, 1.2 inches wide and 2.3 inches high. Model number and bar code can be found on a round white label on the side of the menorah. The firm has received eight reports of the product melting, including three reports of fire. No property damage or injuries have been reported. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled menorahs and return them to Target for a full refund. w w w. c a s k a n e t t e. o n. c a 14

15 Sold Exclusively At: Target stores nationwide from October 2015 through December 2015 for about $20. Target Corp., of Minneapolis MASTERBUILT RECALLS LP GAS SMOKERS DUE TO FIRE HAZARD Recall date: December 8, 2016 Recall number: Masterbuilt and Cabela s 7-in-1 gas smokers The smoker s gas hose can disconnect posing a fire hazard. Repair Masterbuilt at , from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or online at and click on Support then choose Contact on the upper right hand corner of the page for more information. About 41,000 The recalled Masterbuilt 7-in-1 smoker comes in green or stainless steel with a Cabela s logo, or black with Masterbuilt logo. The three-piece cylindrical body design consists of a lid, center body, and base which sits on the LP gas burner stand. It also has a porcelain flame disk bowl, water bowl, cooking grates, 10- quart pot and basket, thermometer, burner, a PVC hose and weighs about 32 pounds. Masterbuilt has received five reports of the PVC gas hose becoming disconnected during use, including one report of property damage from a fire. There have been no reports of injuries. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled smoker and contact Masterbuilt for a free replacement rubber LP gas hose. Army, Air Force Exchange, Cabela s, Gander Mountain and other stores nationwide and online at from April 2011 to October 2016 for about $150 to $200. Manufacturer(s): Masterbuilt Manufacturing, LLC of Columbus, Ga Evine s televised shopping programs and online at in December 2015 for about $300. World Trading, of Valencia, Calif. v WORLD TRADING RECALLS ORBIT SELF-BALANCING SCOOTERS/HOVERBOARDS DUE TO FIRE HAZARD; SOLD BY EVINE Recall date: December 13, 2016 Recall number: Self-balancing scooters/hoverboards The lithium-ion battery packs in the selfbalancing scooters/hoverboards can overheat, posing a risk of smoking, catching fire and/or exploding. Replace World Trading toll-free at from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or support@worldtrading23.com for more information. 1,900 This recall involves Orbit brand self-balancing scooters/hoverboards. The hoverboards have two wheels at either end of a platform and are powered by lithium ion battery packs. Orbit brand hoverboards were sold in the following six colors: black, blue, gold, green, red and white. Orbit is printed on a black sticker on the underside of the hoverboard. None reported Consumers should immediately stop using these recalled products and contact World Trading to exchange their hoverboard for a free UL-certified replacement hoverboard. 15

16 CAFI COMMITTEES AND ACTIVITIES CAFI welcomes the participation and support from our members, directors and regional executives across Canada to help promote the growth of our membership and also to help provide learning and training opportunities to our members. CAFI s mandate is to provide a collaborative forum for sharing knowledge and advancing the standards of practice in fire investigations. If you are interested in being involved in a Committee, please submit your information to the CAFI Secretariat: cafi@cafi.ca and let us know which Committee you would like to participate in: JOURNAL EDITORIAL COMMITTEE: CCFI-C DESIGNATION COMMITTEE: Matt Roberts, Editor, -30- Forensic Engineering Larry Cocco, Toronto Fire, Fire Prevention & Public Education Jason D Ornellas, ROAR Engineering Daniel Langlois, CSA Group Steve Smith, Electrical Safety Authority Jacquie Link (CAFI Past President), AIS Enterprises Mena Costandi, Origin and Cause Chris Panasieweicz, Origin and Cause AWARDS COMMITTEE: To establish an Awards program to recognize and encourage outstanding achievements or contributions by CAFI members to the fire investigation community. TRAINING COMMITTEE: To provide and plan educational seminars, webinars, and other learning opportunities to CAFI members and to provide information on fire investigator certification programs. Awards Committee Chair: Daniel Langlois, CSA Group Members of the Training Committee include: MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: Vladimir Chlistovsky (CAFI President), Chair of the Training Committee David Slipp (CAFI 1st Vice-President), Jeff Minten (CAFI 2nd Vice-President), Office of the Fire Marshal & Emergency Management, Midhurst, ON Mike Potvin (CAFI Regional Director, Ontario), Office of the Fire Marshal, Ontario Stu Seaton, Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) Stephen Hawken, Arcon Forensic Engineers Robert King, Gravenhurst Fire Department To promote membership retention and growth and respond to members needs through regular surveys and communications. ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP COMMITTEE: To solicit advertising and sponsorship commitments in support of the publication of the Journal and CAFI training and professional development activities. 16

17 CANADIAN CERTIFIED FIRE INVESTIGATOR LEVEL C DESIGNATION JOIN THE LIST OF CAFI MEMBERS WHO HAVE ALREADY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF OBTAINING THEIR CCFI-C DESIGNATION THROUGH CAFI. Following the announcement last Fall that CAFI was re-introducing the Canadian Certified Fire Investigator Level C (CCFI-C) designation as part of the benefits available to CAFI members, a number of members have qualified or re-qualified to obtain this professional designation. Having your CCFI-C designation can provide many advantages: 1. CAFI s Canadian Certified Fire Investigator Level C program establishes a standard for evaluating the qualifications of those conducting fire investigations, as well as creating a benchmark for investigators who wish to establish their professional credentials. Your CCFI-C designation is recognized throughout the industry, both in Canada and the U.S. 2. Qualifying for a professional certification, such as CCFI-C, can provide you with industry specific knowledge and access to professional connections. 3. It s becoming increasingly common for job descriptions/job postings to require professional certifications or membership to industry associations. Competition for limited job openings is increasingly difficult. Having your CCFI-C designation can open the door to job opportunities and/or job promotions. 4. Certification can be another way to improve your skill set to be recognized for your accomplishments. 5. Training received while employed doesn t necessarily result in a certificate or designation, but it will help qualify you for CCFI-C re-certification. For information on how to apply to obtain the CCFI-C designation, please go to the CAFI website and click on the tab CCFI-C Designation. Please contact cafi@cafi.ca if you have any questions about the CCFI-C designation application process. Congratulations to the following list of CAFI members who have already obtained their CCFI-C designation: CCFI-C Designates Aldous, Dennis Allen, Kellie Arbour, Matthew Bower, Timothy Burns, Jeffrey J. Brisson, Paul Canute, Debborah Caskanette, Rene Caskanette, Robert J. Chlistovsky, Vladimir Costandi, Mena M. Cussen, John M. Daneff, Gary Despins, Kevin Duncan, Kevin W B Everett, Katelynn Gagain, Kurt Gillrie, Aaron Guérin, Céline Hagglund, Travis Horn, Douglas Irish, Timothy G. Jenkins, Tim King, Robert C. Kooren,Richard Kostyniuk, Micheka Lee, Timothy Grant Leverton, Brian Link, Jacquie McCabe, Gerald McEwen, Robert McKone M. Todd Minten, Jeffrey Meikle, Steve Neal, David L. Nordlund, Eric Panasiewicz, Chris Patterson, Martin Paupst, Clayton J. Polimeni, Brian M. Reid, William S. Richardson, Matthew Roberts, Matt Sakellariou, Nick Schulz, Michael J. Scott, D. Ryan Scott, David G. Scott, Greg Shirer, Robert J. Smith, John J. Spidalieri, Frank Todd, William Vander Ploeg, Robert Wieliczko, John (Jay) Williams, Jason

18 ARC MAPPING: DETERMINING THE ORIGIN Written by: Vladimir Chlistovsky, CCFI-C, CFEI, P.Eng. Fire Investigator, Origin and Cause Inc. Every fire involves the same four components: Fuel, oxidizing agent (oxygen), heat, and an uninhibited chemical chain reaction. But apart from that commonality, every fire investigation is different, and at every scene, the potential causes of a fire are numerous. It can be very easy to make a mistake, and declare the wrong cause if the origin of the fire isn t first correctly identified or if it isn t defined well enough. A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE A few weeks ago I was called in to investigate a fire that broke out in a barn. I arrived on site in the early hours of the morning. The fire department had arrived a few hours earlier still, but the area was still smoldering and the smell of burning hung heavy in the air. With no witnesses to interview and no time to waste, I immediately began scanning the area for fire patterns. Fires leave patterns on walls, ceilings, and on contents, like furniture. Analyzing those patterns can help narrow down the origin, and therefore the cause, of a fire. For example, patterns that indicate the greatest amount of burning may indicate where the fire burned the longest, and therefore where it started. The fire department had reached their own conclusion as to the origin and cause of the fire a riding lawnmower in the middle of the fire damaged area. Judging by the patterns, which indicated intense burning, I agreed that the riding lawnmower was a possible origin. But fire patterns are only one aspect of fire investigation. We also have to take into account fire dynamics. In a nutshell, fire dynamics is the physics and chemistry of fire initiation and growth and the interaction between the fire and the building s systems. We have to consider factors like ventilation: Open doors and windows let oxygen in, which assists in the combustion of the fire, causing it to burn more intensely. In this case, combustibles on the lawnmower, including the seat, fuel, and oils likely fed the fire, resulting in more severe damage in that area. Proceeding under the assumption that those fire patterns were the result of fuel load, and not the origin, I had to develop a new hypothesis. I noticed another area that showed distinct burn patterns. It was in a different location than the lawnmower, and the patterns were not as well defined. However, an exposed electrical cable in the ceiling showed evidence of arcing. When a fire attacks energized wiring, it causes the insulation protecting that wiring to burn and char. The charred insulation forms a semi-conductive path, which allows current to flow through the charred insulation between the conductors in that cable. This heats up the conductors and the charred insulation until sufficient current flows, eventually resulting in arcing. When arcing occurs, it can be seen as a flash of light and sparks coming from the conductors. As investigators we don t 18 typically see arcing as it happens, we see the aftereffects: Small divots and beads of copper left behind on the wires. Sometimes the wires sever from the arcing. I began my investigation at the electrical panel, which confirmed what I had suspected a circuit breaker had tripped (arcing eventually results in a short circuit fault that trips the circuit protection). Tracing that circuit, I found only one area that displayed physical evidence of arcing. Below the arced cable was an electrical receptacle on the wall behind a fuel tank, where fire patterns indicated fire had spread from. Closer examination of the receptacle showed that the cable not only powered the receptacle on the wall, but also continued outside to an irrigation pump. Arcing can only happen when a cable is energized. Once a circuit protector trips, arcing ceases. As the fire spreads, it consumes more wiring insulation, but there won t be any other evidence of arcing left anywhere else on those wires. This is critical in assisting in the determination of the origin of the fire. It means that arcing will typically take place close to where the fire had first attacked those wires, indicating the origin, or the direction of fire spread when arcing on several circuits is documented. Upon re-examining the fire damage in context with the arcing, I developed a new hypothesis (which was later validated): The fire started at the receptacle, due to a poor connection,

19 before spreading above to the ceiling where the arcing took place. As the fire grew and spread, hot gasses from the fire radiated down, igniting the combustibles on the rider lawnmower, which served as further fuel. Based on the arc mapping, the fire patterns and fire dynamics, I was able to conclude that the cause of the fire was an electrical failure at that receptacle due to an improperly made electrical connection to the irrigation pump outside. THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD In the past 25 years, fire investigation has evolved from an art-based field into a science-based discipline. We rely on our knowledge and experience, technology, and methodology to determine the origin and the cause of a fire. While investigating a fire and trying to determine the point of origin, we re constantly developing and testing hypotheses. Sometimes, like in the barn, something doesn t quite fit, and you have to go back and reconsider how all the information fits together. Fortunately, even when the damage is extensive, by utilizing all four sources of information for origin determination witness information, fire patterns, fire dynamics, and arc mapping we can still arrive at the correct point of origin and determine the cause of a fire. v (Photos below show the fire damage in the barn and the systematic approach to narrowing down the fire origin) 1 2 Overall photo at time of arrival to investigate the fire Showing the rider lawnmower and fire patterns on the left suggesting heavy burning from the lawnmower 3 4 My origin after arc mapping exercise Fire Department s origin Overall area showing the fire patterns and possible areas of origin Evidence of arcing on conductors The arcing which occurred on the cable from the fire spreading from the receptacle below this area 19

20 IT S TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR 2017! Start the new year off right by renewing your CAFI membership as soon as possible. The CAFI membership year is from January 1 to December 31. It s now time to renew your membership to update your status as current member for the 2017 membership year. To renew your membership, please go to the CAFI website: and go to the membership page to submit your membership renewal and payment online. If you wish to pay your membership renewal by cheque, you also need to use the online form and indicate, where required, that you wish to do an offline payment. The system will direct you to the invoice page which will provide you with the CAFI mailing address to use to send a printed copy of your Membership Application and payment. A Membership confirmation will be sent to you as soon as your membership fee is processed. As well, you will be receiving an electronic Certificate of Membership shortly after. IMPORTANT TO NOTE: To be eligible to apply for the Canadian Certified Fire Investigator Level C (CCFI-C) designation, or to be approved for recertification, you must be a CAFI member in good standing. Please feel free to contact the CAFI Office if you have any questions or require assistance: cafi@cafi.ca Website: 20

21 SAVE THE DATE! CAFI South Central Ontario, Chapter 006 SPRING SEMINAR Wednesday April 5 and Thursday April 6, 2017 Advanced Fire Dynamics, Arc Mapping and Burn Cell Investigation A portion of this seminar will include the viewing of a burn cell. Participants are advised to dress in fire investigation clothing and for weather conditions. Safety equipment including hard hat, safety shoes, and safety glasses will be required to be worn during the viewing. Where: Greater Toronto Airports Authority Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute 2025 Courtney Park Drive East, Toronto, Ontario L5P 1B2 When: Wednesday April 5 and Thursday April 6, 2017 Cost: CAFI members Non-CAFI members Early Bird Registration: After March 1, 2017 $ $ $ $ Additional course and hotel accommodation information will be available in early January contact: cafichapter006@gmail.com 21

22 ELECTRICAL FIRE CAUSATION Written by Dave Hines P.Eng.(EE)1 (September 2010) Within the insurance industry, the investigation of property and vehicle fires is a major forensic investigation activity. Fire investigators, with fire department background or an engineering background with relevant experience, are normally retained first. The next most frequent expert required is a forensic electrical engineer. With few exceptions, every fire scene contains electrical evidence which must be examined and either confirmed or ruled out as the cause of fire. In some cases, this may be within the scope of expertise of the fire investigator. However, in other cases, the expertise of the forensic electrical engineer will be required. This article discusses the types of electrical problems which may lead to a fire or component failure. Future articles are planned that will discuss the techniques used to investigate the cause of electrical fires and illustrative case studies. Overall, fire causes fall into three main categories: 1. Accidental: unattended flame/ candles, poor storage of chemicals, electrical loads and wiring, appliances. 2. Natural: Lightning strikes, high winds which down power lines 3. Incendiary: Arson using accelerants, electrical tampering, or other intentional means. Electrical fires are typically considered accidental, although natural and incendiary causes do occur. Determining whether an electrical condition caused or contributed to a fire can be a difficult task, and requires expert investigation techniques. Even when the evidence at a fire scene has been wholly or partially destroyed, there will normally still be some physical data that can point to the likelihood electrical factors contributing to the incident. Figure 1 Series arc MODES OF IGNITION The three main modes of ignition leading to electrical fires are arcing, excessive ohmic heating, and external heating. These ignition modes are discussed below and apply to all electrical components, including large transformers, residential wiring, electronic circuit boards, and batteries. 1. ARCING: An arc (also known as an electrical discharge or spark) occurs when electrical current passes through a normally non-conductive medium such as an air gap. The electricity is able to bridge the gap by electrically breaking down the gases in the air gap, producing an ongoing plasma discharge. This plasma discharge reaches temperatures of 3000 C to 10,000 C, and therefore can very easily cause ignition of materials, such as wire insulation, near the arc. Arcs can occur in two ways: series arcs which decrease the flow of current in the circuit (Figure 1) and parallel arcs, which increase the flow of current in the circuit (Figure 2). 22 Figure 2 Parallel arc There are many causes of arcing, but the three most common are; arcing-throughchar, ionization of air, and short circuits. a. Char: Arcing-through-char refers to arcs crossing insulation due to carbonization of the insulation. Carbon is a conductive material and can build-up on insulation in many ways. Once a carbonized conductive path is established, conditions for sustained arcing and ignition exist. b. Ionization: The ionization of air is affected by pre-existing arcs and flames. If there have been large arcing events in a system, significant amounts of ionized gases have been emitted. These ionized gases have the potential to affect other circuits

23 and aid new arcing events. Flames also contribute to the ionization of air and additional arcing. The creation of this additional arcing creates a self-perpetuating scenario for arcs to continue during a fire, as long as the electrical wiring is energized. This makes the science of arc mapping2 a very important tool in determining whether arcing caused the fire or whether the arcs were a result of the fire. c. Shorts: Shorts may occur due to improper wiring, wiring abrading against vehicle components, nails puncturing a wire, external heating, etc. Short circuits tend to cause a lower resistance path from the origin of the short, back to the source. This lower resistance path causes increased currents and arcing. Two types of short circuits can be created: a. An arcing short occurs when there is momentary contact between two conductors. The wires are then pushed apart by resulting forces of the initial contact. If the conductors remain close together, arcing across the air gap can occur at a level that will not trip overcurrent protection. This may cause ignition of materials, or ionization of the air to create the possibility of other arcing in the system. b. A bolted short happens when there is a sustained metal to metal connection. The heating due to a bolted short is not localized. All the current is carried through the entire length of the circuit from the short back to the source. This can cause ohmic heating at any point along the circuit path. However, the increased current often trips the overcurrent protection at the panel, which de-energizes the circuit and stops the current flow. Evidence of arcing at a fire scene can be separated into three main categories; notching, beading and high energy splatter. To differentiate between arcing and fire damage, it is often necessary to use tools such as stereomicroscopes, x-rays and metallurgical analysis. Through the use of expert analysis, often a clearer picture of what has taken place in the fire can be obtained. Figure 3 Electrical arcing Figure 4 Arcing evidence: notching 2. OHMIC HEATING3: Excessive ohmic heating becomes dangerous in a system when the thermal load begins to exceed the thermal capacity of the conductor insulation, or materials around it. The five major causes or contributing factors to ohmic heating are: a. Poor Connections: These create progressively deteriorating conditions. Proper electrical connections are mechanically tight and of low resistance. If a connection is loose, the result is a higher resistance connection due to smaller points of contact and air gaps. This higher resistance connection generates heat as current passes through it. This causes oxidation and creep in the metal, further loosening the connection and increasing the resistance of the connection even higher. As resistance increases, more heat is given off and the connection may become glowing hot (Figure 7). At that point, any nearby combustibles are in danger of igniting. Poor connections are dangerous because they do not raise the current to a level that overcurrent protection can respond. Figure 5 Arc severing & subsequent beading Figure 7 Glowing connection (arrow) Figure 6 High energy splatter due to arcing 23 b. Excessive Thermal Insulation: The current carrying capacity of conductors is dependent on adequate cooling space for the wires. Overheating occurs when the heat in the conductors is generated faster than can be dissipated. Common causes of this are; running electrical cords under carpets, energizing an

24 electrical cord while it is coiled onto itself, and excessive insulation in wiring pathways. c. Leakage Current: This happens when current is able to flow through unintended paths. Ground faults are the most common type of leakage current. The intended ground path in a circuit provides a very low resistance path to ground. As well, if a current carrying circuit contacts the intended ground path the current will spike, due to the low resistance, and trip the overcurrent protection device. However, when abraded conductors make contact with items such as metal siding, or roofing gutters, there may not be a clean, low resistance path to ground, and the current may be able to leak along that path. This can cause problems through ohmic heating when the combination of leakage and load current do not exceed the overcurrent protection level. This current flow will cause heat increase and, depending on the current and resistance level, ignition may occur. d. Excessive Overcurrent: A dangerous current overload can occur when a circuit is overloaded to a level where the current exceeds the conductor rating and leads to ignition. This problem is easily shown through testing scenarios in labs, but it is rare in structures built to normal safety codes. Lab tests have shown that 3 to 7 times the rated current load is required in a conductor to cause ignition. Since conductors are installed with overcurrent protection for the circuit (e.g. a 15A breaker), both a faulty protection device and an extreme current overload are required to cause ignition. e. Overvoltage: This is a problem for ohmic heating because, with a higher voltage through a load, higher currents result. If the level of overvoltage is high enough, ignition can occur. Three main ways of applying overvoltage to a circuit are; lightning strikes, accidental application of high voltage to low voltage wiring, and floating neutral. Floating neutral problems are illustrated in Figure 3. In this schematic, Rx expects to see 120 V presented to it. However, if a break in the neutral occurs, it will be presented with a voltage that can range from slightly above 0, up to almost 240 V. The exact voltage level is determined by the other loads on the system, R1 and R2. Any combination of resistances which supply overvoltage to a load presents a potential for ignition. heating can also be a factor near heating elements such as baseboard heating and lighting above stovetops. PRACTICAL ISSUES It is common for investigators to find several causes of fire ignition. Many fires are caused by conductors initially overheating, and then arcing and igniting nearby combustibles. It has been proven that, once a conductor s temperature has been raised above 200 C to 300 C, significant charring occurs in the conductor insulation. This makes the insulation able to ignite more quickly and at lower temperatures. The following is the most common sequence of events during an electrical fire: 1. Poor connection and overcurrent 2. Thermal degradation of insulation 3. EXTERNAL HEATING: External heating can cause breakdown of the insulation on conductors, and can cause arcing between wires in circuits. The majority of external heating problems are caused by a pre-existing fire and thus the conductors are typically victims of a fire rather than a cause. However, there are some situations where external heating can contribute to the initial cause of the fire. Vehicles, and other machines using internal combustion engines, have exhaust paths for the waste products of the combustion. Wires can sometimes be routed too closely to the exhaust piping and the heat from the piping will compromise the properties of the insulation and expose the conductors. This leaves the conductors vulnerable to shorting, arcing and leakage currents. External 3. Release of ionizing gases 4. Formation of carbon internally and externally on insulation 5. Arcing 6. Ignition There are a number of factors which can play a role in any fire. Expert analysis will often be required to obtain accurate and supportable results during an electrical fire investigation. Fires often involve very large levels of financial loss, and in some cases, fatalities. Careful application of scientific principles and process, combined with a clear understanding of how electricity and fire behave, is the best way to minimize the risk of misdiagnosis. v (1) Dave Hines is an electrical expert with SAMAC Engineering ( in Calgary. He specializes in failure analysis and product liability investigations of electrical equipment and components; electrical fire investigations; vehicle fires; residential, commercial & industrial equipment failures; and code reviews. (2) Arc Mapping: the process of finding the location of energised electrical events or arcs within a defined area to locate or map an area of origin. Used logically and interpreted appropriately, it is a powerful analytical tool. Results are strong and often definitive and can be used when investigating any type of fire. (3) Ohmic heating refers to the generation of heat as a current passes through a medium with resistance. Ohm is the unit measurement for resistance. 24

25 CAFI 2016 MEMBERSHIP SURVEY RESULTS SUMMARY The CAFI Executive and National Secretariat put together a membership survey which was sent out to the membership list in June There were a total of 110 respondents that took the time to answer the 38 question survey. Thank you to all that have taken the time to respond, your time and your answers will be used in future planning, education events and for the direction of CAFI over the next few years. RESPONDENTS OF THE SURVEY The majority of respondents to the survey indicated that they were already members of CAFI, with only about 8% of respondents being non-members. Further, the largest group of respondents represented members who have been a part of CAFI for 11 or more years (38%), with new members of less than one year making up only 7% of respondents. Also, about 62% of all respondents indicated that they work in Ontario, with the most popular industry affiliation being that of Fire Departments/Fire Marshal s Office/Fire Commissioner (48%). 20% of respondents work within the insurance industry, 11% in engineering, 9% being selfemployed, 2% within the police force and 0% from security. 10% indicated Other as a description of the sector that they work in. When asked how respondents of the survey initially became aware of CAFI, the most popular answer was though another member at 47%. BENEFITS OF CAFI MEMBERSHIP Some of the most popular benefits of the CAFI membership indicated by respondents include keeping up to date with the industry through training opportunities, current trends, and informative articles provided in the CAFI Journal, as well as the opportunity for networking within the organization. The benefits that respondents indicated they would like to receive via the membership include relevant content within the Journal from experts across the country and local training opportunities/ continuing education for fire investigators in Canada. Reasons for becoming a CAFI member in the first place included staying current with new information and training opportunities within the industry in Canada, as well as receiving professional designations such as the CCFI-C. TRAINING SEMINARS Once a year was the most popular answer in response to being asked how often the respondents attend training seminars at 49%, followed by Twice a year at 21%. Further, it was indicated that the location and topic of these training courses are the two most important factors to respondents when choosing which seminars to attend. Some of the popular subjects and topics related to fire investigation that would attract members to attend other seminars included case studies, new fire investigation techniques, electrical fire cause investigation, vehicle fire 25 investigation, photography/note-taking/ documentation, and live burn cell demonstrations. CAFI SPONSORED EVENTS Of the 50% of respondents that indicated they had attended an event sponsored by CAFI, close to 96% of those indicated that the event had met their expectations. EDUCATION AND TRAINING For Education and Training, 55% of the respondents have indicated that they are very likely to definitely likely to attend a CAFI seminar or conference related to fire investigation. 32% have indicated that they are somewhat likely, with 12% indicating that they would not. Most respondents interested have indicated that a one to two-day seminar is what would work best for them, with about an equal number indicating one day and an equal number indicating two days for the length of a seminar or conference related to fire investigation. The majority of respondents (60%) indicated that they would prefer training seminars provided on the weekend or during evening hours. Current professional development needs of members are being met through a combination of Professional associations other than CAFI (53%), On-line training (42%), CAFI related events (40%) and employer hosted events (31%). More than half of respondents indicated that they require training hours to complete re-certification requirements. The majority of respondents indicated

26 that they need 40 educational hours, but answers varied from 0 to 80 hours. The expense of registration fees for training seminars are not important to somewhat important for 75% of respondents, with the level of fees being important to very important for 25% of respondents. others indicated that it was not a required designation for their employment or that a CFEI was sufficient for their purposes. More awareness or "advertising" to recruit new members and promote training seminars. Respondent apparent benefits of the CCFI-C designation included better qualifications for court purposes, national/ additional professional recognition/ certification and strengthening the Canadian fire investigations community. More communication, and electronic learning that is free to members. VOLUNTEERING WITH CAFI Full articles on cases, good or bad. Forensic testing and how it was done. Provide regional training to allow better access to all members. JOURNAL 67% of respondents indicated that they receive the CAFI Journal, although this number seems low considering that the members that took this survey should be on the same list as the Journal, which is sent to all CAFI members by , typically 4 times per year. Because the CAFI Journal is now delivered electronically, this may account for a number of people either not receiving it due to an system issue with attachments, or the Journal ending up in a member s spam folder. 29% of members indicated that they would prefer to read the printed version of the Journal, while 71% members responded that they prefer the on-line version or that it did not make a difference whether the Journal was printed or on-line. 26% of respondents indicated that for the betterment of the fire investigation discipline in Canada, they were interested in participating/volunteering and becoming a member of the CAFI Executive or a CAFI committee at the national level. Although several respondents were already involved with CAFI, several other respondents were interested in volunteering on committees or on the executive, and several indicated that geographic proximity or time were limitations to volunteering. At the national level, this should not be a limitation, as most board and committee meetings occur by teleconference and the time commitment is only several hours a month on average. OTHER IDEAS While the majority of respondents were satisfied with the content in the Journal, several specific respondents suggested greater number of articles detailing new techniques, opinions and results of forensic testing as related to fire investigations. Greater participation from members across the country to provide relevant Canadian related articles was also suggested. CCFI-C DESIGNATION 64% of respondents were familiar or aware of the CAFI CCFI-C designation and 56% have obtained the CCFI-C designation through the Canadian Association of Fire Investigators. Reasons for not obtaining the CCFI-C designation included lack of time/being too busy while The last question asked for other ideas and suggestions on how CAFI can best meet the needs and provide value to its members. There were some very good ideas including: The above respondent comments carry a common theme and are similar to comments regarding CAFI over the past few years. The CAFI Training Committee will be rolling out on-line training resources in 2017 that will address several of the above comments. Limited available funding, limited volunteer hours and the limited ready content are some of the reasons that on-line training resources have not been launched for the CAFI membership yet. However, they are coming, so please keep an eye on CAFI s and the Journal for upcoming events. Training resources will include on-line webinars, on-line self-taken training courses and past-recorded live seminars. v Local training that is easy to get to, affordable and meaningful. Courses and seminars geared to the municipal sector fire investigator. Smaller regional groups for more frequent networking. Better communications with new members, or an improved new member welcome package. 26

27 THE NATION S LARGEST CONSULTING FORENSIC ENGINEERING AND FIRE INVESTIGATION FIRM With over 35 forensic experts in 11 locations across the country, we are always here to assist you! DISCOVERING THE TRUTH BY DETERMINING THE FACTS For more information about our services and experti se please visit our website at