Chemistry Services - Fire Debris

Fire Debris Analysis is a specialized service within the Chemistry Section. This analysis provides law enforcement and fire investigators with information concerning the possible use of ignitable liquids at a fire scene. This information will aid a fire investigator in determining whether a fire started due to an accelerant or was ignited by accidental causes.

At a fire scene, a fire investigator will select and take an evidence sample of debris, carpet, wood, etc., and package it into an airtight container such as a sealed mason jar or metal can. The evidence is then submitted to the crime lab where it is assigned a unique DOFS case number and barcode.
	The evidence undergoes an extraction procedure to collect any volatile components that may be present in the fire debris sample.
The extracted sample is analyzed on a Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS).