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.

The origin area and the most damaged area do not always coincide. Damage patterns are affected by ventilation, fire load, burning duration, firefighting and scene changes.

Subject of examination

  • Distribution of thermal damage
  • Structures, objects and spread paths
  • Original scene conditions and firefighting actions

Sample questions for the expert

  • What signs allow the area of initial burning to be identified?
  • How may ventilation and fire load have affected the damage?
  • Which areas were changed by firefighting, clearing or collapse?
  • Are the materials sufficient to locate the origin area?

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

What to prepare

  • Photographs and videos of the scene before clearing
  • Plans, object layout diagrams and material information
  • Chronology of discovery, spread and firefighting
  • Inspection records and earlier examinations

How the examination is conducted

Signs are assessed in their spatial and temporal relationships. Alternative explanations for deep damage are considered to avoid confusing the origin with the place of longest burning.

Scope and limitations

Locating the origin does not automatically establish the ignition source or a culpable person. Examination feasibility depends on scene preservation and completeness of records.

What the deliverable records

The result states the proposed area, supporting signs and location limits allowed by the materials.

Cost and terms

from RUB 75,000. The exact cost depends on the property, materials, need for a visit and number of questions.

Comparing photographs with the scene before and after the fire

Locating the area of initial burning requires knowing what each photograph shows and when it was taken. Overall views linking major damage with the room, openings and objects are useful. A photograph without this context may show a detail but not its original location.

After firefighting, objects may have been moved, structures dismantled and surfaces cleaned. Record these changes in the diagram and materials inventory. If a position was reconstructed from a participant’s account, identify that source; do not present it as a directly documented scene.

  • State the camera direction and known photograph sequence.
  • Keep original files, rather than only images embedded in a written report.
  • Separately note open apertures, operating ventilation and known changes in these conditions.
  • Document areas changed by collapse, dismantling or emergency actions.
  • Compare the pre-incident diagram with the plan made during the later inspection.

The most heavily burned area must not be assessed in isolation from damage distribution and fire development conditions. Findings should explain the basis of localisation, the precision possible and the data preventing a narrower area being identified. You are not required to move dangerous remains or conduct burning experiments to collect materials.

When supplying video from different cameras, identify the source and known clock settings. Clock differences can create a false sequence. If timing was not verified, comparison must reflect that limitation. A recording cut-off, smoke first appearing in frame and ignition in the room are different events, each requiring its own link to the scene.