Our award-winning Forensic Fire Investigation Team provides specialist expertise to investigate fires and help establish what happened. The team examines fire scenes, considers the circumstances surrounding an incident and provides specialist advice and practical support.

Understanding where and how a fire started can be an important part of a fire investigation. Our investigators use evidence from the scene, alongside their specialist knowledge and experience, to help determine the cause and origin of a fire.

What does the Forensic Fire Investigation Team do?

Our team investigates the cause and origin of fires. This involves examining the circumstances surrounding a fire and assessing the available evidence to help establish how and where it started.

Their work includes:

  • Investigating the cause and origin of fires
  • Attending fire scenes and examining the circumstances of an incident
  • Providing specialist fire investigation advice
  • Working with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary on investigations into suspected arson
  • Providing evidence and expert testimony in court where required

The nature of each investigation will depend on the circumstances of the incident and the information available at the scene.

What do ‘cause and origin’ mean?

The origin of a fire is the area where the fire started. Establishing the origin helps investigators understand how the fire developed and what may have happened during the incident.

The cause is how the fire started. There may be several possible causes, and specialist fire investigators examine the available evidence to help determine the most likely cause.

Fire investigation is important whether or not a criminal offence is involved.

Working with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

Where a fire is suspected to have been deliberately started, our Forensic Fire Investigation Team works alongside Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary to support the investigation.

Our team provides specialist advice relating to the fire and fire investigation, while Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary leads the policing aspects of the investigation.

This joint approach brings together fire investigation and policing expertise to help establish what happened and support the wider investigation.

Meet Red, our fire investigation dog

Our Forensic Fire Investigation Team is also supported by Red, a Red Labrador who assists with fire investigations.

Red is specially trained to detect traces of ignitable liquids that may be present at a fire scene. His highly sensitive sense of smell can help investigators identify areas that may require further examination, particularly where evidence may be difficult to locate following a fire.

Red can search large areas of a fire scene and help our investigators focus their examination.

Red lives with his handler, Fire Investigation Officer Andy Earl, and his family. The close bond between Red and Andy is an important part of their work together, with Andy handling and directing Red during investigations.

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