In an origin and cause case, Amset investigators will arrive at the loss site as quickly as possible to document the scene prior to any alterations. Analysis of burn patterns and other techniques will typically locate the origin. In order to prove the cause of the fire, evidence that is removed during the fire scene excavation is methodically labeled and stored in our secured warehouse for future examination in the Amset laboratory.

Equally important as the physical evidence are the pre-loss facts that can only be obtained by interviewing relevant parties and scrutinizing documents. The combination of pre-loss facts, origin location, and artifact examination will identify how the fire started and usually identify subrogation possibilities.

The following examples demonstrate how an Amset engineer is able to conduct a thorough fire scene investigation.

Initial Cause Proved Incorrect
A fire department responding to a house fire initially suspected that the fire originated within the clothes dryer. Amset was hired to represent the company which had serviced the dryer six months prior to the fire.  During Amset’s investigation, we determined that the origin of the fire was at the electrical outlet near the dryer. Subsequent laboratory examination of the dryer proved our assessment that the fire did not originate within the dryer.

Undersized Gas Regulator
This photo shows a fire damaged rooftop heating and ventilation (HVAC) unit. During Amset’s origin and cause investigation, it was determined that the gas regulator was undersized for the unit and stuck open, causing a gas control valve to fail, thus allowing gas to escape and catch fire.

Arc-damaged switchboard

True Replacement Costs
A large manufacturing plant sustained damage to a 4,500 amp switchboard. Amset was asked to investigate the origin and cause of the loss as well as determine the fair and reasonable replacement costs.  From our investigation, it was discovered that a loose connection between the switchboard and the circuit breaker caused uncontrolled electrical arcing, therefore damaging the equipment.  Amset researched like-kind-and-quality replacement gear and found that the true replacement cost was $350,000 less than the amount being claimed by the insured.

Boiler Failure
A boiler used to heat an 18-unit apartment building failed in the middle of the heating season.  Emergency replacement avoided additional damage in the form of frozen pipes and tenant relocation.  Inspection of the boiler by Amset proved that the failure was due to corrosion brought about by old age. The determination of the cause of the failure was necessary for the insurance company to interpret their coverage policy.

Segmented boiler leaking water

Segments near gasket are corroded from old age.

Replacement boiler without covers on

Mystery Fire or Faulty Outlet
A fire occurred within a home in an area very near a wall outlet. Inspection of the outlet, wiring, and electrical system proved that the fire was not electrical in origin. A remote control toy car, with a history of safety problems, was tossed into a toy box (the true origin of the fire), prior to the home owner leaving for work. X-ray analysis, conducted by Amset, proved that the remote control car was the actual cause of the fire.

Area of origin

Exemplar toy box

Remnants of remote control car melted into toy box

Restaurant Fire
A restaurant burned to the ground just minutes after the owner locked up and left. The origin was clearly in the kitchen area, which had collapsed into the basement during the fire. The entire kitchen was pulled from the wreckage, including the gas train, and recreated in the parking lot. This painstaking work was necessary to prove if any of the kitchen components did or did not cause the fire.

View of restaurant

Kitchen reassembled in parking lot to investigate failure mode

Excavation and removal of artifacts