Know The Cause (1954)

fires are a pretty familiar site to every man on the department fires in homes garages schools factories fires every place over 50 a day more than 20,000 a year in Los Angeles sure we extinguish them and do a darn good job we're a class one fire department one of the best in the nation few can question our efficiency but what about the cause how do the start do you make an effort to find out you should it's an important part of your job there's more to this business of preserving life and property than control extinguishment and cleanup it's of Greater importance to prevent a fire than it is to fight one but only by knowing the causes of fires can we successfully prevent their recurrence the success of public educational campaigns fire pension inspection fire regulation enforcement and the apprehension of incendiar ists is dependent on knowing how fires start as you well know we maintain an arson detail complete investigation of suspicious fires requires time and patience it involves the establishing of the point of origin the collecting and preservation of evidence the interviewing of witnesses and suspects making arrests signing complaints and the preparation of comprehensive reports to better enable a trial attorney to successfully prosecute those suspected of the crime of arson such detailed work can't be expected from the man on firefighting Duty however experienced arson investigators unanimously agree that the key to successful investigation is the alertness on the part of firefighters in recognizing the unusual far too often it's destroyed by water or is scooped up and thoughtlessly pitched out a window during overhauling operations use your head before you use your shovel you men are the first to arrive at a fire there's plenty to think about until you have it under control but then when the immediate emergency is over and before you start overhauling the observations you make and the action you take can be of great importance this can make or break a successful investigation bear in mind that when an arson investigator arrives on the scene he must start from scratch he has no information no definite starting point what you did what you saw and what you found might save him endless hours of Investigation most fires start from natural causes causes that are pretty obvious even before fire occurs experienced firemen are quick in recognizing the leaders in this group The careless smoker illegal burning incinerators heaters and stoves electricity and children with matches unfortunately the reported causes of many of these fires is inaccurate because of the excessive number that occur each year there's a marked tendency to form an opinion without due consideration of all the Visual Evidence for example a fire involving the cushions on a davenport might have all the ear marks of a careless smoker but if the fire occurred on a hot day in August and a $1,500 fur coat just happened to be lying across the Davenport it would be reasonable to assume the fire was not as accidental as it first appeared with occupants absent a dwelling fire might appear to have been caused by carelessness if charred clothing draped over a chair was found too close to a heater but if you found dresser drawers with clothing hanging out it would certainly be worthy of further investigation observations of this sort should be passed on to arson investigators yes experienced firefighters are quick in recognizing fires that appear to have been started from natural causes but that very experience can be misleading always look for unnatural circumstances snap judgment can be highly inaccurate fires are usually reported as undetermined when there is a lack of an obvious or natural cause the mere lack of a natural cause does not necessarily make a fire incendiary but all of them should be viewed with suspicion thorough investigation should be made incendiary fires are fires that have been willfully and maliciously set generally speaking they follow pretty regular patterns and can be classified under five different types a knowledge of the general patterns of these fires can be extremely useful in helping to determine the cause The Grudge or Spike fire is the fire set to scare or to destroy the property of another it might well be considered a form of childish Revenge although adults are usually responsible men and women alike a common example is is that of a jealous sweetheart who thinks she's being twoo timed in the absence of her Light Of Love She Stacks his clothes in the center of the room pours on a little lighter fluid and then touches it off Grudge or fires are the most dangerous obviously such fires are set with the intent to create as much destruction as possible fortunately they're in the minority in any case it is seldom the intent of this type of incendiar to kill or cause bodily injury to others a good scare a sort of you'd better be careful in the future attitude is what they have in mind fires in this category are seldom planned they seem to be a spur of the- moment proposition they usually occur at night flammable liquids are often used and with few exceptions interrogation of the occupant or owner of the premises will provide the necessary clue as to who the culprit is definitely typed by the evidence the fire for profit or the insurance fire as it's more commonly called is a little bit more ingenious these fires may involve burning buildings burning merchandise a combination of both or the destruction of business records elaborate igniting devices are sometimes used mechanical and electrical apparatus so designed as to give the arsonist ample time to put as much distance as possible between himself and the premises before the fire starts The Alibi I wasn't near the place when the fire occurred is as time worn as some of the methods used candles are common igniters often used in combination with Trails leading from one room to another trails that sometimes end in wooden tubs of gasoline from which the metal Hoops have been removed such tubs are tied with string that burns through quickly as the tub gives way the Flaming gas spreads rapidly and burns with great intensity some arson plants as they are commonly called are a lot more fantastic this setup was designed to ignite a bunch of matches when the telephone rang it worked too but the evidence was left behind often the methods are so elaborate the arsonist outsmarts himself the absence of a natural cause too rapid spread too intens of fire for the location and the materials burning are reasons enough to be suspicious interrogation of suspects and Witnesses by arson investigators usually establishes the motive which is selling the mortgage or personal property to the insurance company in business establishments obsolete Machinery expired leases and unsalable merchandise are more often than not the motive for insurance fires fires set to cover another crime such as murder or burglary are not too frequent however there are incidents on record where a discovery of the motive behind this type of fire has led to the apprehension and conviction of the arsonist normally there is not too much pre-planning a crime of violence committed without premeditation might well leave the perpetrator conscience stricken and highly fearful of the consequences grasping at any straw he sets fire to the premises in the hope that the fire will be accepted as the cause of the victim's death or that it will conceal the fact that a burglary was committed at fires where fatalities have occurred It is Well to check carefully for the cause of fire once again lack of an obvious or natural cause calls for more intensive investigation fires set to cover a burglary are usually started when a culprit feels that he has bungled a job by some careless act such as leaving fingerprints or obvious signs of forcible entry motive often helps in determining cause however it's the exception to the rule to find an arsonist who sets a fire that appears natural in every respect fourth we have the pyromaniac whose motive for starting fires is sex gratification panic-stricken occupants Sirens apparatus rolling through the night firemen in action all of this seems to add to the intense physical pleasure of the true pyro the fires they start and the Milling crowds of people provide the necessary excitement this form of perversion often manifests itself at an ear age individuals thus affected usually start out with small fires igniting combustibles in trash cans uh waste baskets a pile of old newspapers and the like they're responsible for many of the rubbish fires you've responded to in alleys during the night undetected their lustful appetites demand more fires bigger fires more excitement they become Bolder we find them entering apartment houses and cheap hotel hotels in the dead of night starting fires in Hall closets under stairways in basements smoke-filled Halls panic-stricken people crowding and pushing each other as they fight their way down narrow perilous stairways women in night clothing choking and stumbling out into the street and the opportunity of the Pyro to come into close contact with them as they stand trembling in the cold night air as they grow older their activities become exceedingly dangerous an obsession to inflict serious Burns even death have caused them to set fire to the bed clothing of a sleeping person in some instances to resort to forcible entry to accomplish this purpose the Pyro seld makes elaborate preparations for starting a fire when the urge strikes him he takes advantage of what burnable material there is at hand rubbish trash even a pocket comb will do the trick since he's usually smart enough to know that he must avoid detection the cover of Darkness appeals to him when a series of fires keep occurring at night night from undetermined or unnatural causes it is generally a tip off that a pyro is at work this is particularly true where such fires are concentrated within a company's first in District the vanity pyromaniac differs from the true pyro in that his motive for setting fires is for mental rather than physical satisfaction it is seldom his intent to let a fire reach such proportions that he can't extinguish it himself a classic example of this type of individual is the night Watchman who sets a fire calls the fire department notifies the boss then proceeds to extinguish the fire before the arrival of the fire department you can guess the rest he becomes a hero the alert Watchman on his toes best interests of the organization at heart a pat on the back from the fire department maybe a raise in pay at least Commendation from management and the plaits of other plant employees salespeople have been guilty of the same approach to Hero worship even during working hours they discover and extinguish a fire in a trash can or a waste basket a fire they themselves were guilty of starting one vanity pyro who specialized in big fires confessed that as he stood among the bystanders watching the firemen at work he derived great mental satisfaction in the thought that among the scores of people and firemen present only he really knew how the fire actually started arson is a crime as much of a crime as robbery or murder the person who willfully and maliciously sets a fire regardless of his motive displays a total disregard for the property and lives of others arsonists are criminals as such it almost goes without saying that every effort must be made to apprehend them and to put them where they can do no further harm Behind Bars there's little satisfaction in extinguishing an incendiary fire when you know that the maniac who started it is probably planning another your job our job the job of every man on the department is not complete until such a person is apprehended where do you fit in how can you help that's easy remember first last and always that you as a firefighter are the first to arrive on the scene you are the first to observe actual conditions be alert look for the unusual developing an inquiring mind this doesn't mean you're to conduct an intensive investigation carry on with your regular work but keep your eyes and ears open be a little concerned about how the fire started before overhauling look around is there an obvious or natural cause can you determine the point of origin It May lead to the cause take advantage of every opportunity you have to look at evidence learn to recognize it the evidence at incendiary fires is referred to as a criminal agent it could be candles the odor of petroleum products and flammable liquids or empty containers that held them cotton or Paper Trails from one room to another sometimes through holes in walls Trails of nitrate Motion Picture film matches under irons or the molotov cocktail hurled through a window a cigarette and match combination thrown from an automobile has start started many a brush fire and timing devices when discovered by an alert firefighter leave little doubt as to the cause of a fire never handle evidence preserve it for arson investigators a suspect's fingerprints may be obtained but the the Fingerprints of a half a dozen firemen will prove of little value one alert firefighter noting a footprint on tar paper at an incendiary fire in a vacant house called it to the attention of arson investigators within 3 days the culprit was apprehended a 13-year-old boy who admitted that he had started 12 fires within 3 weeks in a 10 block area always try to obtain the names and addresses of people who offer information arson investigators may want to talk to them one enthusiastic firefighter really thought he had something when he was telling investigators about a gray-haired woman in a house dress who had told him she had seen a man run from the scene of a fire to a car just before the fire department arrived she had described the car even taken the license number but the fireman no he didn't know what the license number was nor the name of the woman who had seen it the fire was incendiary the culprit was apprehended but not until the investigators had spent the better part of the night locating the woman who had seen him drive away try to detain suspicious persons until arson investigators arrive failure to do this has been responsible for many an arsonist walking away from a fire unmolested chuckling at the seeming stupidity of firemen and general what makes a person appear suspicious well that's a hard question to answer circumstances alter cases to name them all becomes impossible but let's consider a couple of common situations you respond to a fire at night as you near the location there is no Loom up no visible signs of fire a civilian Flags you down leads you in the side door of a building down a rear stairway through a hall and to a closet in a rather remote location if this happened to you it might be well to ask yourself how come how come this fellow knew so much about the fire does he work here here did he set it it would certainly pay to be suspicious and you can rest assured an arson investigator would like to talk to him particularly so if the cause of the fire could not be readily determined keep an eye on the eager beavers that show up at fires you know the civilians who help man the hose lines and Shout words of encouragement such as come on boys we got her licked or let's move in closer men knock her down indications of intense excitement on their part should arouse some suspicion this is not a normal thing not an everyday occurrence don't pass it off as the activities of a bunch of screw balls make an effort to detain them or at least find out who they are give arson investigators a break on occasion the arson detail will plant photographs or detailed descriptions of suspected arsonists in your station with an appeal to be on the lookout for such an individual at fires they have reason to believe they are working in your area give this information your close attention memorize the features or description you could well be the one who meets the suspect face to face when you're detailed to participate in stakeouts make sure you thoroughly understand and just what is expected of you what you're to do and especially what not to do follow instructions to the letter give the arson investigators a little credit for knowing what they're doing above all remember that a stake out can only be successful if a reasonable degree of secrecy is maintained it becomes valueless and certainly is a waste of Manpower time and effort if a suspect is constantly aware of your activities being selected to help arson investigators on a stake out May provide an interesting break in your daily fire Duty routine interesting enough to pass along to the wife at breakfast the next morning but when the MS passes this information on to the butcher the grosser or the nextd door neighbor and they in turn pass on to their friends the story that good old Joe the fireman who lives down the street is now a detective tracking down the suspect who has been setting all the fires in the neighborhood well the Harm's done as far as the Stak out is concerned it'll have about as much value as driving around the neighborhood with red lights on and siren screaming information can be harmful if you're putting it out extremely helpful if you're getting it too much talk is Bad Medicine the day following a fire a civilian dropped into one of our stations and engaged one of the firemen in conversation he discussed the fire said he had watched it burn and was curious to know how it started the fireman a talkative lad pointed out that faulty wiring was the offender he was most emphatic and kept insisting the fire could not possibly have started any other way harson investigators came up with a different cause the fire was incendiary the suspected arsonist was brought to trial who was he you guessed it the civilian who had obtained such a nice detailed report from the fireman the attorney for the defendant had a field day playing firemen against investigator a case that might otherwise have ended in a successful conviction was thrown out of court why too much loose talk there's nothing wrong with talking to people but make sure you're getting information not giving it restrict your remarks about what you know what you saw what you did to your Superior officers and arson investigators and bear in mind that when you're called into court to testify the court will not be interested in your personal opinions they will want to know specifically what you saw what you did what you heard facts just plain facts no attorney will ever get you out on a limb if you make it a point to know the facts and limit your remarks to those facts many of the situations I've been discussing are the unusual the exceptions not the type of suspicious circumstances that you're likely to observe or encounter very frequently they've been passed on to you simply as background information to help point out that the real causes of undetermined fires can be established if you know what to look for presuming we have a fire knocked down have taken a little look around and failed to find an obvious or natural cause what then what are we looking for suspicious circumstances certainly suspicious circumstances and any visible evidence that may lend some proof as to the cause of the fire here are the things you should think about and look for prior to overhauling if there is any doubt at all as to how the fire started think now was the fire particularly difficult to extinguish did it seem to be burning with greater intensity than other fires you fought in similar type occupancies could flammable liquids or sprays have been used are there any bottles or cans of the stuff around where you would not expect them to be normally was there evidence of separate fires on the same premises did there appear to be an unusual point of origin in the middle of the floor halfway up a wall in a closet cabinet or a dresser is there a clear-cut line of demarcation between the burned and unburned materials did the fire involve curtains or drapes were they seemingly ignited by a heater a candle or matches where Trails of combustibles present such as cotton cloth or film was an electric iron or other portable electric appliance the possible cause if so did you find the device where you would normally expect it to be used or did its location make you wonder were there any open gas mechanical or electrical devices at the point of origin were the windows and doors all tightly closed were the shades pinned down were there any signs of forcible entry that could have been made prior to your arrival had the cash register cash box desk drawers or safe been rifled did merchandise appear to be missing from shelves or sales racks did you have trouble connecting to the hydrant threads have been burred by incendiar ists to delay extinguishment the first rubbish trash can or garage fire you respond to down some dark alley particularly when you can't determine the cause might be accidental or the mischievous prank of some juvenile but two or more of these fires occurring reasonably close to each other over a short space of time can certainly be taken as an indication that a pyro is on the loose be suspicious of the bystander who doesn't act normal or who seems overly eager to lend his support physically or informationally pay particular attention to a familiar face that keeps appearing among the bystanders at fires little things may seem inconsequential to you maybe you don't have a suspicious nature maybe you can't see just where they would have any particular bearing on determining the cause of a fire nevertheless the rather common suspicious circumstances you've just seen examples of are highly important to the arson investigator guard them carefully until he arrives they give him a lead a starting point a springboard from which he can plunge into an investigation from the right direction it's the little things bits of evidence the unusual circumstances that don't go hand inand with normal conditions that mean so much they spell the difference between success and failure between knowing how a fire actually started or having to admit we weren't quite sharp enough or interested enough to find out every fire has a cause and every cause can be determined but only through the cooperation of every firefighter on the department the key to success is in your hands why not use it [Music]