FIRE TECHNOLOGY

AND ARSON
INVESTIGATION

PREPARED BY:
CAROL M. RODRIGUEZ
What is Fire?
• It is an active chemical reaction
that takes place between fuel,
heat and oxygen in the form of
light and noticeable heat.
What is Technology?
• It is the application of the
results of the basic research and
of engineering principles to the
solution of practical fire
protection problems.
PROPERTIES OF FIRE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES :
• Specific gravity - ratio of the
weight of a solid or substance
to the weight of an equal volume
of water.
• Vapor pressure – the force
exerted by the molecules on the
surface of the liquid at the
equilibrium. (CLE1014)
• Temperature – which is the
measure of the degree of thermal
agitation of molecules.
• Boiling point – is the constant
temperature at which the vapor
pressure of the liquid is equal
to the atmospheric pressure.
THREE (3) POINTS IN FIRE
1.FLASH POINT
- lowest temperature at which
vapors of the material will
ignite, when given an ignition
source.
2. FIRE POINT
- lowest temperature at which
the vapor will keep burning after
being ignited and the ignition
source removed.
3. KINDLING POINT
- lowest temperature at which
it spontaneously ignites in normal
atmosphere without an external
source of ignition.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
• Endothermic reactions – are
changes whereby energy (heat) is
absorbed or is added before the
reaction takes place.
• Exothermic reactions – are those
that releases or gives off
energy thus, they produced
substances with less energy than
the reactants.
• Oxidation – is a chemical change
in which combustible materials
or FUEL and an oxidizing agent
like OXYGEN, reacts. (SLOW AND
FAST/RAPID)
• Flame – is a glowing body
(incandescent) of mixed gases
undergoing the process of
combustion. Flames commonly
consist of a mixture of oxygen
and another gas, usually such
combustible substances as
hydrogen, carbon monoxide or
hydrocarbon.
TYPES OF FLAME
1. According to color and
completeness of combustion:

a.LUMINOUS FLAME – reddish-

orange in color; it deposits
soot because it is a product
of incomplete combustion; it
has lower temperature.
b. NON-LUMINOUS FLAME – bluish in
color; it does not deposit soot
because it is a product of
complete combustion; it has a
higher temperature than luminous
flame.
2. According to Smoothness:
a. TURBULENT – irregular,
unsteady swirls or rough
flame
b. LAMINAR – smooth flame
3. Based to Burning Fuel and Air
Mixture:
 Premixed flame- is
a flame formed under certain
conditions during
the combustion of
a premixed charge (also called
pre-mixture) of fuel and
oxidizer.
• Diffusion flame - is a flame
in which the oxidizer
combines with
the fuel by diffusion. As a
result, the flame speed is
limited by the rate of
diffusion. Diffusion flames
tend to burn slower and to
produce more soot
FIRE TRIANGLE
 FUEL
- anything that will burn when
heated with sufficient oxygen.
 OXYGEN
- aids in combustion; comes
from the atmosphere we breath.
ATMOSPHERE = 21% oxygen + 78%
nitrogen + 1% impurities.
 HEAT- source of ignition.
THE FIRE TRIANGLE
FIRE TETRAHEDRON
- geometric representation of
what is required for fire to
exist, namely, fuel, an oxidizing
agent, heat, and an uninhibited
chemical reaction.
ELEMENTS OF THE FIRE TETRAHEDRON

 OXYGEN
 FUEL
 HEAT
 SELF-SUSTAINED CHEMICAL REACTION
THE FIRE TETRAHEDRON
A.OXYGEN (O2)
- colorless, odorless gas and
one of the compositions of air
which is approximately 21% percent
by volume.
 AIR COMPONENT:
- 21% normal oxygen
- 78% nitrogen
- 1% other gases
B. FUEL
- material or substance being
oxidized or burned in the
combustion process.

Fuel Sources
1. Solid- molecules are closely
packed together
2. Liquid- molecules are loosely
packed.
3. Gas- molecules are free to move.
C. HEAT
- energy component of the fire
tetrahedron.
- when heat comes into contact
with a fuel, the energy supports
the combustion reaction.
TYPES OF ENERGY (as common heat
sources)
1.Chemical Energy
2.Electrical Energy
3.Nuclear Energy
4.Mechanical Energy
1.Chemical Energy
- most common source of heat
in combustion reactions.
- when any combustible is in
contact with oxygen, oxidation
occurs. The reaction of this
process results in the production
of heat.
2. Electrical Energy
- can generate temperature
high enough to ignite any
combustible material near the
heated area.
3. Nuclear Energy
- Generated when atoms either
split apart (fission) or combine
(fusion)
4. Mechanical Energy
- energy created by friction and
compression

 Heat of friction
- the movement of two surfaces
against each other, thus producing
sparks.
 Heat of compression
- heat is generated when a gas is
compressed in a container or
cylinder.
D. SELF-SUSTAINED CHEMICAL
REACTION
- a chain reaction is a series
that occur in sequence with the
result of each individual reaction
being added to the rest.
STAGES OF FIRE
1.INCIPIENT
2.GROWTH
3.FLASHOVER
4.FULLY-DEVELOPED
5.DECAY
1.Incipient Stage
- the period when the four
elements of the fire tetrahedron
come together and combustion
begins.
2. Growth Stage
- after ignition, a fire plume
begins to form above the burning
fuel. As the plume develops, it
begins to draw or entrain air
from the surrounding space into
the column.
3. Flashover stage
- transition between the
growth and the fully developed
fire stages and is not a specific
event such as ignition.
4. Fully Developed Stage
- occurs when all combustible
materials in the compartment are
involved in the fire.
5. Decay Stage
- as the fire consumes the
available fuel in the compartment,
the rate of heat released begins
to decline.
Modes of Heat Transfer
a. Conduction
- heat transfer within solids
or between contacting solids.
b. Convection
- heat transfer by the
movement of liquids or gasses.
c. Radiation
- heat transfer by
electromagnetic waves.

d. Flame Contact
- heat may be conducted from
one body to another by direct
flame contact.
Methods/Modes of Heat Transfer
Classification of Fire based on
Cause
1.Natural fire
2.Accidental fire
3.Intentional/Incendiary fire
1.Natural fire
- involves fires without
direct human intervention.
2. Accidental fire
= ignited due to unintentional
human design or action.
- careless disposition of readily
combustible materials.
- poorly managed or defective
heating facilities.
- overheating, spark and
electrical defects.
- overload electric circuits
- children playing matches
- use of candles.
3. Incendiary fire
- deliberately set under
circumstances in which the person
knows that the fire should not be
set.
4. Undetermined Fire Cause
– whenever the cause cannot be
proven, the proper classification
is undetermined.
Classification of fire based on
burning fuel.
 Class A – ordinary combustible
materials such as wood, paper,
fabrics, etc. this will
indicated deep cited fire,
leaves ashes and embers (glowing
coals) after burning.
 Class B – flammable liquids such
as gasoline, lube oil, kerosene,
paint thinner, etc.
 Class C – electrical fires
caused by overloading, arcing,
etc. (CLE-1014 -2x)
 Class D – combustible metals
such as magnesium (white element
burning with dazzling light),
sodium (a silver white metallic
element), etc. This creates
violent reaction.
 Class E – flammable gases such
as LPG, LNG, etc. This will also
creates violent reaction.
Different Extinguishing Agent
1. Class A – water (all agents)
2. Class B – foam/carbon dioxide
(all agents)
3. Class C – carbon dioxide/powder
(never use water, soda acid and
foam), the use of water will
cause electrocution.
4. Class D – special powder, the use
of water will cause explosion.
5. Class E – all agents
Modes of Extinguishment
1.Cooling
- removal of heat
2. Starving
- removal of fuel
3. Blanketing
- removal of oxygen
Factors that affects the rate and
extent of the spread of fire:

1.Wind velocity
2.Relative humidity, dryness of the
materials and the absence of
rain.
3.Air temperature
4.Nature and condition of any
vegetation surrounding the
building
5.Nature of building construction
USE OF LADDERS
- A ladder is a vertical or
inclined set of rungs or steps.

Types of ladder
1.Rigid ladders – can be leaned
against a vertical surface such
as wall.
2.Rope ladders- hung from the
top.
Examples of Ladders
 Fixed ladder
- two side members joined by
several rungs; affixed to
structure with no moving parts.
 Hook ladder
- a rigid ladder with a hook
at the top.
 Trestle ladder
- an “a frame”- style ladder.
 Extension ladder
= a fixed ladder or more
lengths for more convenient
storage; the lengths can be slid
together for storage or slid apart
to expand the length of the
ladder.
 Turntable ladder
- an extension ladder fitted
to the rotating platform on the
top of a fire truck.
Ladder Terminology
 Bed ladder– the lowest section
of an extension ladder.
 Fly Ladder- the upper section
of an extension ladder.
 Butt – the bottom end of the
ladder
 Heel – the part of the ladder
that touches the ground.
 Halyard- a rope or cable used to
raise the fly ladder.
 Pawl and Dog – the mechanism
located at the end of the fly
ladder that locks to the bed
ladder.
 Rung – the cross member of the
ladder that is used for climbing.
 Top or tip – it is the top part
of the ladder.
 Guides – light metal strips of an
extension ladder that guides the
fly ladder while it is being
raised or lowered.
ARSON
INVESTIGATION
What is ARSON?
- consists of the willful and
malicious burning of all kinds of
buildings and structures including
personal property.
What is INVESTIGATION?
- is the process of inquiry
conducted in order to determine
what is need to know and proven.
COMPOSITION OF INVESTIGATION TEAM
1.Team leader - assumes overall
control of the fire scene.
2.Lead Fire Arson Investigator-
coordinates with the Team
leader regarding appropriate
investigation approach.
3.Fire Scene Photographer-
photographs the fire scene
prior entry of the
investigation team and during
walk-through..
4. Fire Scene Sketch Preparer-
diagrams and illustrates the
immediate area of the fire scene.
5. Evidence recovery personnel and
custodian- conducts actual
exhaustive search of probable
pieces of evidence with the direct
guidance of the Team Leader and
Lead FAI at the fire scene.
6. Team Security Personnel-
ensures the overall
security/safety of the
investigating team.
7. Incident Command Post (ICP)-
the designated area for planning
and communication point members
of the Fire Arson Investigation.
What constitutes Arson?
• Burning - to constitute burning,
there must be some burning or
charring, its identity changed.
• Willfulness – means intentional
and implies that the act was done
purposely and intentionally.
• Malice – denotes hatred or ill
will or a desire for revenge.
Deliberate intention of doing
unjustified harm for the
satisfaction of doing it.
• Motive – is the moving cause
which induces the commission of
a crime. Something that leads or
influences a person to do
something.
• Intent – is the purpose or
design with which the act is
done and involves the will. An
essential element of crime,
motive is not.
Why is Arson very hard to
investigate?
• Arson is one of the most difficult
offenses to investigate because
the arsonists is able to set a
fire and can escape undetected.
• The fire can consume the scene and
destroy much physical evidence of
the offense.
• Harder forms of evidence are
often buried in debris and grossly
altered in appearance
What constitute burning?
• The mere fact that a building is
scorched or discolored by heat
is NOT SUFFICIENT nor will bare
intention or even an attempt to
burn a house amount to arson, if
no part of it is burned.
• Yet, if there is actual ignition
of any part of the building,
arson is committed, although
there be no flame or the fire
immediately goes out of itself.
• To burn means to consume by fire.
In the case of arson, if the wood
is blackened but no fibers are
wasted, there is no burning.
• But the wood need not be in flame
or blaze, and the burning of any
part, however, small is
sufficient to constitute arson,
and if the house is charred in a
single place so as to destroy the
fibers of the wood, it is
sufficient to constitute arson.
STAGES OF
COMMITTING ARSON
ATTEMPTED ARSON
 In attempted arson, it is not
necessary that there be a fire
before the crime is committed.
EXAMPLE:
 Ador, with the intention to burn
a wooden structure, collects
some rags, soaks them in
gasoline and places them beside
the wooden wall of the building.
When he is about to light a
match to set fire to the rags,
he is discovered by Kardo who
chases him away.
FRUSTRATED ARSON
• EXAMPLE :
Vincent Coks already set fire
to the rags soaked with gasoline
and put it near the partition of an
inhabited house before he leaves
the premises without knowing that
before any part of the building was
burned, the flaming rags has been
extinguished by Leonardo Pelayo,
the house owner.
CONSUMMATED ARSON
 The offender did in fact set
fire to the roof of the house
and said house was partially
burned. The crime was
consummated arson,
notwithstanding the fact that
the fire afterwards extinguished
for once it has been started,
the consummation of the crime of
arson does not depend upon the
extent of the damage caused.
Basis of Liability of Arson:
• Kind and character of the
building, whether of public or
private ownership.
• Its location, whether in an
uninhabited place or in a
populated place.
• Extent of damage caused; and
• The fact of its being inhabited
or not.
MOTIVES OF ARSON
What is MOTIVE?
= It is the moving cause which
induces a person to commit a crime.

Is motive necessary to be proven in

criminal proceedings?

= The motive is not necessary to

be proven in criminal cases for it
is not an element of a crime.
Motive vs. Intent
MOTIVE
• Not a material element of crime
• Motive is not an element in
proving the crime of arson. Even
if motive is not established,
the accused can still be
convicted
• MOTIVE is what induces the
criminal.
Motive vs. Intent
INTENT
• An element of crime especially
in the crime of Arson.
• INTENT is the purpose of design
with which the act is done and
involves the will.
Motive can be established by:

1.To Profit
– fire is set for material
gain.
- most common motive of
arsonist. (CLE -0414)
- Insurance Fraud
Motive can be established by:
2. Concealment Of Crime:
- The arsonists may set fire to
a building in order to conceal a
projected or past crime.
- He may wish to divert
attention in order to loot the
burning premises or steal in other
places.
- The burning may be for the
purpose of destroying evidences.
3. Punitive Measures
An arsonists may use fire as a
means of punishing another
person for reason of jealousy,
hatred or revenge.
4. INTIMIDATION or ECONOMIC
DISABLING
- The fire may be used as a
weapon of the saboteurs, the
strikers or the racketeers to
intimidate or to disable
economically as a step toward
forcing submission to certain
demands.
5. Public Disturbance
- an offender may resort to
arson as a means of a public
disturbance because a fire
attracts people and destruction
causes confusion that gives rise
to attendant problems that divert
police attention.
6. Vandalism
– is a general term denoting
intentional burning to destroy
properties.

7. Extremist – motivated fire

setting is committed to further
a social, political, or
religious purposes.
8. PYROMANIA
- is the uncontrollable
impulse of a person to burn
anything without motivation.
-Pyromaniacs usually do not
run away from the fire scene,
usually alone and feel satisfied
watching the flame.
A PYROMANIAC
Types of Pyromaniac
 Abnormal Youth – epileptics,
imbeciles and morons may set
fire without knowing the
seriousness of the act.
 The Hero Type – a person may set
fire on a building, subsequently
pretends to discover it and turn
in the alarm so that he will
appear a hero to the public. A
person may burn a building and
endeavor to achieve spectacular
rescue in order to attract the
attention of spectators.
 Alcoholics and Drug Addicts –
persons who subject themselves
to intense artificial stimulants
such as narcotics sometimes
develop a strong urge toward
incendiaries.
 Sexual Deviates – some sex
perverts derive sexual
stimulation from setting a fire
and watching the flame.
Frequently, he is chronic
masturbator who stimulates and
enhances his sexual
gratification by means of arson.
• In determining motive, a fire
investigator concentrates on
three major factors:

1. Points of origin of the fire

2. Modus operandi of the arsonist
3. Identify of persons who might
benefits from the fire.
What is Point of Origin?
 In arson investigation, point of
origin is the source, the beginning
and the exact place where an
unfriendly fire originates.
 In other words, at what particular
place in the building the fire
started.
 The arson investigator must concern
himself with the point of origin at
the fire scene because it is the
point of origin that will tell him
the cause of the fire.
Factors to be considered in
determining the Point of Origin:

I. Interviewing witnesses -
firefighting personnel, the
occupants, the discoverer of the
fire, the passerby and others.
These witnesses will give
testimonies to facts that cannot
only pinpoint the origin of the
fire but they can also provide
information relative to the fire
in its incipient stages.
II. Low point of Burning – the
lowest point of burning should be
given first consideration when
locating the point of origin of
the fire. The single most
significant fact that assists the
investigator is that fire normally
is burn upward. (CLE-1014)
III. Charring Pattern – the lowest
point of burning will indicate a
deeper char. (alligatoring)
Important reasons for determining the
Point of Origin in the Investigation
of Arson:
• Fire Prevention and Saving of Lives –
statistics and lessons learned from
tragedies will help prevent
additional catastrophes.
• To establish the Fact that the fire
was of incendiary origin – the law
prescribes that every fire is
presumed to be of an accidental
nature. This presumption has to be
overcome before the investigator can
make an arson case.
• To establish the corpus delicti
– the difficulty in knowing the
point of origin arises when a
fire occur in a totally consumed
factory or building because what
the investigator will find at
the fire scene are piles of
debris. The physical evidence of
the offense are destroyed and
even grossly altered in
appearance.
What is Corpus Delicti?
• CORPUS DELICTI - is the body of the
crime or the fact that injury or loss
was sustained by reason of the crime
committed.
• In arson case, it encompasses the
fact that the building/property in
question was burned.
• The mere confession of a person with
respect to burning is not sufficient
proof of guilt unless the Corpus
Delicti has been established. There
must be burning and criminal design.
What is a Fire Scene?
• A fire scene is the location in
which a fire occurred.
• It is also the central location
of a fire from which subsequent
investigate efforts will begin.
What is meant by Preserving
the Scene?
• Preserving the fire scene means
to keep the site of the fire in
the same physical condition as it
was left by the perpetrator.
• To prevent obliteration,
deterioration and destruction of
tangible clues and to preserve
evidential value of physical
evidence.
Searching the Fire Scene
• After the fire scene has been
firmly secured, it must be
searched.
• The investigation is carried out
to obtain all available physical
evidence such as weapons,
clothing, fingerprints,
footprints, tire marks, charred,
burned materials or any other
investigative lead which might
help to achieve a successful
conclusion to the case.
• Searching the fire scene is not
confined to the specific area of
the fire itself. It may be
extended along the path of
approach and follow the line of
flight of the perpetrator.
• Quite frequently, a criminal may
discards or accidentally drops
an item which may be found to be
valuable evidence such as
wearing apparel or instrumental
in obtaining identification.
• Quite frequently, a criminal may
discards or accidentally drops
an item which may be found to be
valuable evidence such as
wearing apparel or instrumental
in obtaining identification.
Methods of Searches
• Quadrant Search (CLE1014)– also
known as “zone method”,
conducted wherein the crime
scene is divided into four
quadrants with one searcher
assigned to each area.
• Strip Search – also known as
“Line method”, searchers proceed
simultaneously along the trail
parallel to one side of a
rectangle.
Colors and Characteristics of
Smoke:
• Characteristics and color of the
smoke or other vapors which
emanate from the fire may
indicate the nature of burning
substances.
• 1. Steam and Smoke – indicate that
humid substance come in contact
with combustible substances. The
water present in humid substances
evaporates before the substance
begins to burn.
2. White Smoke – indicates the
presence of phosphorous.
3. Grayish Smoke – may be caused by
flying ashes or soot of loosely
packed substances such as straw
or hay.
4. Black Smoke – indicates burning
materials of a product with
petroleum base such as rubber,
tar, coal, turpentine or
petroleum.
5. Biting Smoke – irritating the nose
and throat and causing
lacrymation (pertaining to
tears) and coughing indicates
presence of chlorine.
6. Reddish-brown or Yellow Smoke –
indicates the presence of nitrates
or substances which are compounded
with nitrates, such as nitric
acid, plastics, film.
7. Color of the Flame – is a good
indication of the intensity of the
fire, an important factor in
determining incendiaries: (CLE-1014)
8. Size of Fire – is important when
correlated with the type of alarm,
the time received and the time of
arrival of the first five
apparatus.
9. Intensity – the degree of heat
given off by a fire and the color
of its flame indicate that some
accelerant have been added to the
material normally present in a
building.
• 10. Odor – odor of gasoline,
alcohol, kerosene and other
inflammable liquids which are
often used as accelerants indicate
certain characteristics, thus
arsonists are trapped because of
this tell-tale sign.
• 11. Other suspicious circumstances – such as
interested bystanders, familiar
faces and discovery of some
objects which might be part of a
mechanical fire-setting device
among the debris
• The Revised Penal Code
• Articles 320 to 326-b, RPC – these articles
are expressly repealed by Section 9,
PD 1613, March 7, 1979 due to the
alarming increase of suspected arson
cases during the past few years; a
clamor was generated to update the
law on arson here in our country.
• PD 1613 – Amending the Law on Arson
• PD 1744 – Amending Art.320-RPC
• PD 1185 – Fire Code of the Philippines
• RA 9514 – Revised Fire Code of the
Philippines
• Presidential Decree 1613
Section 2. Destructive Arson. The
penalty of Reclusion Temporal
in its maximum period to
Reclusion Perpetua shall be
imposed if the property burned
is any of the following:
• 1. Any ammunition factory and
other establishment where
explosives, inflammable or
combustible materials are
stored.
2. Any archive, museum,
whether public or private, or
any edifice devoted to
culture, education or social
services.
3. Any church or place of
worship or other building
where people usually assemble.
• 4. Any train, airplane or any
aircraft, vessel or
watercraft, or conveyance for
transportation of persons or
property
• 5. Any building where
evidence is kept for use in
any legislative, judicial,
administrative or other
official proceedings.
• 6. Any hospital, hotel,
dormitory, lodging house,
housing tenement, shopping
center, public or private
market, theater or movie
house or any similar place or
building.
• 7. Any building, whether used
as a dwelling or not,
situated in a populated or
congested area.
• Section 3. Other Cases of Arson.
The penalty of Reclusion Temporal
to Reclusion Perpetua shall be
imposed if the property burned is
any of the following:
1. Any building used as offices of
the government or any of its
agencies;
2. Any inhabited house or dwelling;
3. Any industrial establishment,
shipyard, oil well or mine shaft,
platform or tunnel;
4. Any plantation, farm,
pastureland, growing crop,
grain field, orchard, bamboo
grove or forest;
5. Any rice mill, sugar mill,
cane mill or mill central;
and
6. Any railway or bus station,
airport, wharf or warehouse
Special Aggravating Circumstances in
Arson. The penalty in any case of
arson shall be imposed in its
maximum period;

1. If committed with intent to gain;

2. If committed for the benefit of
another;
3. If the offender is motivated by
spite or hatred towards the owner
or occupant of the property burned;
4. If committed by a syndicate.
• Where Death Results from Arson. If
by reason of or on the occasion of
the arson death results, the
penalty of Reclusion Perpetua to
Death shall be imposed.
CASE:
Where XX killed WW and CC,
husband and wife, and after
killing, XX set a fire to the
victims house, without knowing that
a three days old infant is inside.
The child perished in the fire as
well as its parents lifeless bodies
inside the house.
• What crime is committed?
Answer: The killing of WW
and CC was murder and the
burning of the house and
child was arson.
Chris Repato, with the hope of
collecting insurance money, ordered
Leonardo Filatio and the rest of his
men to set on fire his very own sugar
cane plantation. In the course of
fire, the nearby pineapple plantation
owned by another person was also
burned. What crime is committed?
A. other forms of destruction
B. arson
C. malicious mischief
D. damage to property
• Art. 325. Burning one’s own
property as a means to commit
arson. – Any person is guilty
of arson or causing great
destruction of the property
belonging to another
eventhough he shall have set
fire to or destroyed his own
property for the purposes of
committing the crime.
PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE OF ARSON
What is Prima Facie Evidence?
- An evidence at which
standing alone, unexplained
and uncontradicted is
sufficient to maintained the
proposition affirmed.
prima facie evidence of arson:
• 1. If the fire started
simultaneously in more than
one part of the building or
establishment. (CLE-0414)
• 2. If substantial amount of
flammable substances or
materials are stored within
the building not necessary in
the business of the offender
nor for household use.
• 3. If gasoline, kerosene,
petroleum or other flammable or
combustible substances or
materials soaked therewith or
containers thereof, or any
mechanical, electrical,
chemical, or electronic
contrivance designed to start a
fire, or ashes or traces of any
of the foregoing are found in
the ruins or premises of the
burned building or property.
4. If the building or property
is insured for substantially
more than its actual value at
the time of the issuance of
the policy.
• 5. If during the lifetime of
the corresponding fire
insurance policy more than
two fires have occurred in
the same or other premises
owned or under the control of
the offender and/or insured.
(CLE-0414)
• 6. If shortly before the
fire, a substantial portion
of the effects insured and
stored in a building or
property had been withdrawn
from the premises except in
the ordinary course of
business.
• 7. If a demand for money or
other valuable consideration
was made before the fire in
exchange for the desistance
of the offender or for the
safety of the person or
property of the victim.
• Section 7. Conspiracy to commit Arson.
= Conspiracy to commit arson shall be
punished by Prision Mayor in its minimum
period.
• SECTION 8. Confiscation of Object of
Arson. The building which is the object of
arson including the land on which it is
situated shall be confiscated and escheated
to the State, unless the owner thereof can
be prove that he has no participation in or
knowledge of such arson despite the
exercise of due diligence on his part.
BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION
- Standard Operating
Procedure-
BFP – SOP # 2008 -01
II. PURPOSE
• A. To have a uniform and
systematic procedures in the
conduct of fire and arson
investigation from the BFP
National Headquarters down to
the lowest investigation and
intelligence units, to
include the prompt submission
of fire investigation
reports.
• B. To have a clear and
explicable guidelines in
conducting fire and arson
investigation and the filing
of the necessary complaint
documents before the office
of the City/Provincial
Prosecutor.
• C. To ensure the quality and
value of the investigation
being conducted by all BFP
fire and arson investigators
and to expedite the
investigation process and
disposition of fire and arson
cases.
III. INITIAL ACTIONS DURING
FIRE ALARM
• Upon the notification of a
fire call or fire incident,
the duty Fire Arson
Investigator (FAI) who has
jurisdiction over the
location of the fire incident
shall mandatory to
immediately respond at the
soonest possible time.
• The conduct of initial
inquiry through interview and
elicitation from all
available witnesses at the
fire scene must be done
instantaneously.
Section 2. – As soon as the area of
origin or the focal point of the
fire is ascertained, the FAI shall
make necessary coordination with
BFP firefighting personnel to
include the volunteer fire brigades
to exert diligent and careful
efforts in the conduct of fire
suppression operation in the
identified AREA OF ORIGIN to
preserve the EVIDENTIAL VALUE and
the focal point of the fire that
might be destroyed due to excessive
flooding in the area.
Section 3. – The fire scene
should be well protected and
secured. Coordination with the
local police units or barangay
personnel should be done in
order to secure the fire scene
from looters and other persons
who has intention of entering
the burned premises, so as to
avoid contamination of the
fire area.
Section 4. – In the event that
the FAI discovered SUSPECTED
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS /
suspected illegal or regulated
chemicals, during the conduct
of investigation of the burned
premises, the circumstances
shall be immediately reported
to proper office ( e.g: BFP
Hazardous Materials Office, or
other law enforcement agency).
Section 5. – Once the Fire
Ground Commander (FGC) declared
“FIRE OUT” the FAI shall take
cognizance the responsibilities
of PROTECTING and SECURING the
whole fire scene by sealing /
closing the perimeter with
barricade tape (Fire Lines).
Posting of uniformed BFP
personnel for security purposes
may also be carry out as deemed
necessary.
FIRE REPORT CLASSIFICATIONS AND
REPORTING SYSTEM
A. Spot Investigation Report
(SIR) – Shall be made and
accomplished by the FAI
concerned during the actual
response to a fire incident.
The SIR should contain basic
information about the fire
incident.
- All SIR must be submitted
IMMEDIATELY (within 24 hours) to
respective fire marshals.
- The respective OFFICE OF
THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR FIRE
PROTECTION shall then submit the
consolidate SIR to the office of
the IID – BFP National
Headquarters in BI-MONTHLY basis
(every 15th and 30th day of the
month) thru mail courier, for
recording and proper disposition.
• B. Progress Investigation
Report (PIR) – Shall be made
and accomplished by the FAI
concerned after the conduct
of follow-up investigation
was made.
• The PIR or any succeeding
PIRs (2nd PIR) shall be
accomplished within 7 to 15
days.
• C. Final Investigation Report
(FIR) – Shall be made and
accomplished by the FAI
concerned upon the completion
of the exhaustive
investigation.

• All completed FIR should be

signed by the concerned FAI and
its respective Chief of the
Investigation and Intelligence
Office.
• The FIR should be submitted the
soonest time the case was resolved
by the investigating office
handling the case.
• The maximum allowable time for the
investigating body to submit the
FIR shall be 30 to 45 DAYS
commencing from the first day of
investigation.
• On the given period, the FAI shall
already come up with a proper
RESOLUTION or RECOMMENDATION about
the case being investigated.
• FIR shall be accomplished in five
(5) complete copies for
distribution to:
• 1. Office of the Chief, BFP thru
the office of the Investigation
and Intelligence Division, BFP
National Headquarters;
• 2. Office of the Regional Director
for Fire Protection;
• 3. Office of the District /
Provincial Fire Marshal;
• 4. Office of the City / Municipal
Fire Marshals.
• D. Fire Incident Investigation Report
(FIIR) – This kind of investigation
report can only be made in such
circumstances that the investigation
report cannot be completed for some
reasons independent to the will of
the FAI.
• FIIR can only be accomplished in fire
cases with UNDETERMINED cause and
this kind of case should be
considered as ON PENDING
INVESTIGATION, subject to REOPENING
in circumstances that relevant
evidence and / or a witness shall
surface in the future.
LEVEL OF AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT
INVESTIGATION
A.Municipal Fire Marshall
- Municipal level
- Municipal Investigation
and Intelligence Unit (MIIU)
- total amount of damage not
exceeding to Twenty Million
Pesos (20,000,000)
B. City Fire Marshall
- City Level/Level 2
- City Investigation and
Intelligence Section (CIIS)
- total amount of damage not
exceeding to Thirty Million
Pesos ( 30,000,000)
C. District Fire Marshall
- District Limit/Level 3
- District Investigation and
Intelligence Branch (DIIB)
- total amount of damage above
30,000,000 but not exceeding
40,000,000
- DIIB operatives can assume the
conduct of investigation on fire
incidents with the total damage of
more than 20M in Municipal Level
only w/in their respective
jurisdiction.
D. Provincial Fire Marshall
- Provincial Limit/Level 3
- Provincial Investigation and
Intelligence Branch (PIIB)
- total amount of damage above
30,000,000 but not exceeding
40,000,000
- PIIB operatives can assume the
conduct of investigation on fire
incidents with the total damage of
more than 20M in Municipal Level
only w/in their respective
jurisdiction.
E. Regional Director for Fire
Protection
- Regional limit/ Level 4
- Regional Investigation and
Intelligence Division(RIIB)
- total amount of damages
above 40,000,000 but not
exceeding 60,000,000.
F. Chief, Bureau of Fire
Protection
- National/Level 5
- Investigation and
Intelligence Division- BFP
National Headquarters (IID)
- total amount of damage
above 60,000,000.