Forensic Engineers and Consultants

Archive: Fires and Explosions

Chemical Engineers: More than Glorified Plumbers – Really!

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As a senior at Virginia Tech, I was told that ChemE’s were little more than glorified plumbers.  Looking back, I’m pretty sure it was to keep our geek-egos in check. It was an effective tool! However, as I grew and traveled as a professional, it became an effective descriptor; applying to a larger scale and using a modifier or two for specific applications.  So, if you have a loss that falls into one of the categories below, a ChemE could be the expert you need. Read More

Improper Fireplace Construction: Testing the Impact of Non-Compliant Clearance to Combustibles

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As the weather turns cold, many people use fireplaces to provide supplemental heat. The warmth from a fireplace is a comfort and the aesthetics of a glowing fire are a pleasure.  However, there is nothing pleasurable about a residential house fire that results from an improperly built or used fireplace or chimney. Read More

Another Dimension of Engineering, Part 2: Visual Demonstrations Can Clarify the Issue

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In our last post on 3D scanning, we introduced Warren’s new Faro Focus X 330 three dimensional scanner.  To recap, the Faro scanner combines three dimensional laser measurement with automated photography to capture 360-degree data from the real world. Potential applications include vehicle accident scenes and damaged vehicles, structural collapses, fire scenes, flood damage scenes, and machinery and equipment analysis, among others. In this post, we will highlight some of the outputs that can be created from the detailed data captured by the scanner. Read More

Warren Adds Another Dimension of Engineering

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We at Warren are pleased to announce our recent purchase of a Faro Focus X 330 three dimensional scanner with FARO Scene image processing software. The scanner takes up to 976,000 data points per second and can scan objects at distances to 1000 feet.  The scanner forms a point cloud of millions of data points while also capturing 360 degree panoramic photographs.  By combining a series of scans, a three dimensional representation can be created that enables precise measurements, animations, and demonstrations. The scanner can capture imagery indoors, outdoors, and even in darkness. Read More

Firefighter Burned Due to Improper Industrial Oven Design and Operation

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Industrial ovens and furnaces are used in many manufacturing processes.  One use of industrial ovens is for drying and curing coatings on fabrics.

We investigated a fire loss involving a very large oven, 10 stories high, used for curing coatings on an industrial fabric. A young firefighter was burned in response to this fire, one of a string of many fires that had occurred involving the oven.

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Gas Cylinder Leaks: What’s that Odor? Get out quick!

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Pressurized cylinders filled with various gases are very common, from the propane fuel tank under your barbeque grill to acetylene for welding to fluorine for production of many common products.  A leak from almost any of these can cause damage or significant losses, from a fire to physical injury, or asphyxiation.

Owner protection against losses and injury can range from nothing to significant, such as storage in ventilated closets or gas detection alarms. In one case the regulator valve on a small CO2 cylinder used in a bar to pressurize beer kegs broke off. The cylinder rocketed around the bar room, causing at least one serious injury. Read More

Evaluating the Potential for “Victim” Holes Not Caused By Lightning in CSST

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One area that we have found particularly interesting are fires involving Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST). CSST is a material used to plumb fuel gas inside structures.  It is used as an alternative to traditional black steel pipe or copper tubing. The stainless steel tube of CSST, in certain circumstances, will perforate when subjected to electrical arcing, including that due to local lightning strikes.  The escaping fuel gas from these perforations has obvious implications as to causing fires. Read More

Stay in Control: Manipulation of Electrical Controls Can Lead to Fires and Explosions

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We have a saying at Warren, “When we go to work on a new case, usually someone else has had a very bad day.” If you are a plant manager at a factory, you know it’s a bad day when you hear the fire alarm or a loud explosion emanating from the back of the plant. Read More

Fire Losses Involving Improper Construction and Installation of Fireplaces and Chimneys

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On a cold winters night a family is gathered in the living room of their home enjoying the warmth of their fireplace.  After using the fireplace all day, they go off to bed to a nice restful sleep.  However, they are soon rudely waked by the sound of a smoke alarm in the home.  Rushing out into the cold night they can see smoke, but no flame in the home.  Outside, they can see that the chase around the fireplace chimney is burning.  The fire department is called and thankfully extinguishes the fire before it does widespread damage, however the family must leave the home for several months as repairs are made. Read More

Winter Safety Tips for Portable Electric Generators

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During winter ice storms, power to residences is often lost and homeowners revert to using gasoline powered portable electric generators.  It is often thought by some homeowners that leaving a generator outside in the severe weather may damage it or affect its performance and therefore resort to bringing the unit inside the shelter, typically, the garage. This is particularly hazardous when the generator is run for an extended period of time as carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from the toxic exhaust gas can cause death. In addition, other hazards including electric shock, electrocution, fire and burns potentially can occur. Read More

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