Commercial Fires
Donan Engineering employs certified fire investigators throughout our service area. These investigators possess a wide variety of specialized expertise and experience that enhance their capabilities. With over 350 years of combined fire investigation experience, Donan Engineering’s investigators have the skill to complete your assignment in a timely and cost-effective manner, with the highest level of certainty and professionalism.
Commercial fires are a significant portion of the fires investigated by Donan Engineering each year. Small retail and mixed occupancy fires make up the majority of the commercial fires we investigate and are caused by a wide variety of ignition sources. Some very special considerations and guidelines must be addressed when investigating fire in commercial and retail establishments. As a fire investigator begins his or her study with an exterior survey of the structure, many variables must be evaluated. Information regarding the time the fire occurred, as well as the elapsed time from fire discovery to the arrival of fire department personnel, is crucial. This information may easily explain or be a cause for concern regarding the amount of fire damage noted on the structure’s exterior. Donan Engineering prides itself on having a great working relationship with fire departments throughout our coverage area; in fact, we have provided training in origin and cause determination to fire departments throughout our service area.
Tactics employed by the fire department can cause unexpected fire damage and burn patterns with regard to the size and location of the fire. Water application and ventilation, if improperly coordinated, can cause rapid fire spread and distorted burn patterns. Donan Engineering’s fire investigators have extensive experience and training in fire extinguishment tactics, which enhances our ability to determine the affects of the employed tactics on the remaining evidence.
Many commercial fires are witnessed by the occupant of the establishment. Many times the fire is directly linked to some type of human act, error, or omission. The occupant will not always acknowledge this human act, particularly if he or she was involved. This lack of acknowledgement can cause some exceptional challenges for the investigator. The investigator must be sure the information gained during the investigation is consistent with the physical evidence that remains after the fire. In many instances, the occupant and/or owner believes human involvement will negate their insurance coverage, and therefore, they are hesitant to admit involvement.
In other instances, an intentional human act is responsible for the fire. If the physical evidence remaining after the fire is not consistent with the statements made by witnesses, it must be determined why these inconsistencies exist. Donan Engineering’s fire investigators are specially trained in information-gathering techniques that provide our clients with a complete and concise conclusion.
Commercial structures are usually subject to routine inspections by building officials, local and state inspectors, and/or fire marshals. These inspections often document the care, maintenance, and usage of many heat-producing appliances within the occupancy. When code deficiencies are present, violations are often noted by the authority having jurisdiction, and a record of those violations is maintained. Donan Engineering’s investigators are trained in how to retrieve useful information from past inspections and/or violations. Often, these violations document potential fire causes. Donan Engineering’s investigators are knowledgeable in the operation of heat-producing appliances found in commercial establishments, allowing us to evaluate them with respect to fire causation. We also employ the expertise of our mechanical engineers to assist in complex evaluations of appliances.
One of the most modified and altered areas in a commercial establishment is the electrical system. Many people believe they have the expertise to add, remove, change, or modify the electrical circuitry of their business. Often, non-qualified or un-licensed persons are employed to make needed changes in an effort to minimize expenses. These modifications many times lead to disastrous outcomes. Donan Engineering’s fire investigators are trained in the recognition of sub-standard installations and repairs. Our investigators analyze the failure mode and preserve the evidence in the event that further joint studies are required.
When an electrical event is believed to be the cause of a commercial fire, a complete and extensive evaluation of the entire electrical system is imperative. In our investigations, sub-standard workmanship or electrical code violations during construction are often identified as the cause of the fire. Donan Engineering’s fire investigators have the expertise of our on-staff electrical engineers to assist in origin and cause determination.
Most appliance manufacturers have a very structured and well-outlined procedure for maintaining their equipment. Water heaters, for example, must be properly installed and maintained to guard against fire-initiating failure. The manufacturers also explain vividly the importance of keeping both the outer and inner combustion doors in place to separate the open flame burner from ordinary combustibles near the gas-fueled heaters. Water heater installation can also be the cause of commercial fires. Water heaters that are installed in atmospheres that could contain flammable vapors (such as in auto mechanic garages) are to be elevated a specific distance above the floor as outlined by local building codes. The routing of the vent piping on gas-fueled water heaters can also be a potential ignition source if the recommended clearance to combustibles is not maintained. Electric water heaters do not contribute to as many fires as gas-fueled units. This does not eliminate them as a potential fire cause, since high-resistance electrical connections are also possible. Donan Engineering’s fire investigators have undergone extensive training in the recognition of fire causes involving water heaters.
Another potential fire cause encountered by fire investigators is that of boilers and furnaces in commercial structures. Just as with water heaters, the combustion chambers of boilers and furnaces must be completely separated from ordinary combustible materials. The installation of the vent pipe system is also a consideration in determining fire cause. Since boilers and furnaces produce many more BTUs than a water heater, there are specific code requirements with respect to clearances to combustible items. Improperly maintained clearances of combustibles are often found to have caused commercial fires, especially in retail areas where storage of stock is sometimes poor.
Alarm systems are often encountered during a fire investigation in commercial occupancies. The operation of these devices often provides valuable information to the fire investigator with regard to building entries prior to the fire, where the fire was first detected, what actions were taken by extinguishing systems, and who was notified about the incident. Donan Engineering’s fire investigators are familiar with alarm systems and are able to incorporate that expertise into the origin and cause study of a commercial structure fire.
Extinguishing systems are often present in commercial buildings. These extinguishing systems include wet and dry automatic sprinkler systems, dry chemical extinguishing systems, hood and duct systems, carbon-dioxide systems, and Halon extinguishing systems. The installation, maintenance, and operation of these extinguishing systems are often found to have influenced fires in commercial occupancies. It is not unusual to find that extinguishing systems are incorrectly installed or maintained. Often, changes in occupancy dictate alteration of the extinguishing system. Lack of change can affect the extent of damages encountered as a result of a fire. Improper installation, modifications, or lack thereof may become subrogation or liability issues.