What the work includes

Examination uses official inquiry materials, documents, photographs, statements, diagrams, records and reports, with inspection of the property or individual items where necessary.

analysis of EMERCOM, insurance, court or investigation materials;

examination of burn signs and thermal damage;

assessment of possible technical hypotheses of ignition;

comparison of documents, photographs, statements and damage;

preparation of an opinion or review in a form clear to the court.

Typical questions

where the fire origin was located;

what the most likely fire cause was;

whether the fire could have started from wiring or equipment;

whether the earlier report’s findings match the case materials;

whether there are signs of fire safety breaches.

Important: a private expert opinion does not replace an official inquiry by EMERCOM, inquiry bodies or investigators, but may be used for court, an insurance dispute, a claim or a report review.

Testing an electrical hypothesis requires comparing conductor and equipment damage with the fire chronology. Melting may be a cause or a consequence of external heating.

Subject of examination

Wiring, protective devices and equipment
Power supply diagrams and operating conditions
Surviving conductors and damage data

Sample questions for the expert

What signs of abnormal operation are confirmed by the items and documents?
How do these signs relate to the fire’s development?
What alternative causes of damage need to be tested?
Are the items and records sufficient to conclude on the causal role of an electrical process?

The final questions are formulated according to the objects and circumstances of the particular task.

What to prepare

Diagrams, equipment documents and protection information
Photographs of the scene and conductors before changes
Surviving items with documented provenance
Electrical installation operating data and incident chronology

How the examination is conducted

The suitability of items and reliability of their recovery locations are assessed first. Specialised examinations are planned for the particular hypothesis, involving relevant specialists where necessary.

Scope and limitations

Visual inspection of melting does not replace necessary instrumental examination. Load tests, electrical installation measurements and laboratory testing of samples are separate tasks and are not automatically included.

What the deliverable records

The findings distinguish confirmed electrical signs, their possible causal role and examination limitations.

Cost and terms

from RUB 85 000. The exact cost depends on the property, materials, need for a visit and number of questions.

Send fire-related documents for a preliminary assessment

Describe the circumstances and attach photographs, an official decision or certificate, EMERCOM materials, insurance documents, a court order or another expert’s report. Reviewing them will help define the type of work, timeframe and cost.

a court-appointed examination under a court order;

pre-trial specialist opinion;

a review of another expert’s report;

analysis of the fire cause, origin and proposed fire development scenario.

Examination of fires involving wiring and equipment