Research

Past Research

Live Burn Research
In October 2011, with the generous financial assistance of the San Mateo County Private Defender Program the law firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, The Arson Research Project conducted live-fire research in Palo Alto, CA.  The goal was to compare fire patterns and maximum room temperatures created by fires allowed to burn beyond flashover in both the absence and presence of an ignitable liquid.   >>More

Download Flashover Analysis Report

 

Other Research

Test of the TIF 8800 Combustible Gas Detector in a Post-Flashover Environment
At the Soulotes fire scene in January 1997, fire investigators used a Combustible Gas Detector to confirm the presence of liquid accelerant. According to trial testimony of fire investigators, positive readings were obtained in the garage, kitchen and living room of the house. All of the areas of the house where the positive readings were obtained had experienced flashover conditions.

The purpose of the testing was to examine the reliability of the TIF 8800 in detecting the presence of an ignitable liquid in a post-flashover fire scene.

Download Combustable Gas Detector report

Outside Research

Click on the Image to Download a pdf of the 2009 National Academy of Sciences' Report on Forensic Science