Fire Investigations
The Fire Investigations Bureau is responsible for determining the origin, cause, and circumstances related to a fire incident. State fire investigators respond to requests for assistance from local fire departments and law enforcement agencies and assist the Office of the Medical Examiner (OMI) in fatal fire incidents.
The bureau is currently staffed with 6 investigators. Due to a large number of fire investigation requests, a protocol has been established that allocates the bureau’s resources in the most effective manner. State fire investigators typically respond to:
- Fatality fires
- Any fires involving firefighter injury or death
- Large loss fires
- Incendiary fires
- Fires where there is no local fire investigator
- Fires involving damage to state property
- Fire incidents at vital public institutions
- Fires where the exact cause of the fire cannot be determined
Once on a fire scene, state fire investigators work closely with local government, law enforcement, and fire officials in the collection and analysis of evidence in origin/cause determination and assist in the prosecution of arson cases.