Reference

To simplify the specification of an assignment, Sintra Engineering has developed the following forms that our clients can use to specify the necessary information. Please call our office if you would like us to send you paper copies of these forms.

(forms as PDF files, Acrobat Reader re quired)

We are also happy to provide the following articles, written by our staff, which have appeared in "Flashpoint", a publication of the Fire Investigation Association of Alberta

Smoldering Combustion

Many fire investigators intuitively understand the nature and manner of smoldering combustion. Unfortunately expressing the concept as words often leads to problems when the fire investigator is called upon to describe in detail the difference between flaming and smoldering combustion. more...

Pyrolysis (or How to Glaze a Judge)

In cases where no other cause of a fire is apparent, pyrolysis of organic materials is an explanation that some investigators resort to. They reason that pyrolysis can occur in any area where organic materials are present, and requires only a source of heat, not necessarily a source of ignition. more...

Sampling for Dummies Part I

One of the black arts of fire investigation has always been sampling for accelerants. Often fire investigators will rely on the use of a dog trained to detect accelerants rather that take on the risk associated with the selection of locations to sample for accelerants. more...

Sampling for Dummies Part II – The SEQUEL

A few months ago, I wrote an article on some of the issues surrounding the black art of sampling for accelerants. This time I thought I would review how to select sample locations (including in vehicles) and what to do with the results from the laboratory that processed your sample. more...

Burning Down the House

Blown-in insulation is used in attics to provide additional "R" value for older houses. Blown-in, or cellulose insulation consists of shredded newspaper that has been chemically treated with a fire retardant. more...

When is a Building not a Building?

In Alberta, buildings are generally constructed in conformance to the Alberta Building Code and the Alberta Fire Code. These documents provide a prescriptive approach to building design, providing minimum criteria for the performance of construction materials and systems used in the building. more...

Cause and Origin versus Origin and Cause?

As fire investigators, we are often asked to examine the cause and origin of a fire. While all experienced fire investigators know the difference between the terms "origin" and "cause", there is also significance to the order in which the terms are presented. more...

Wasn't that a tea party (A brief history lesson in Boston)

Recently I had the opportunity to go to Boston for a seminar regarding the investigation of car fires that was put on by Lee S. Cole. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Lee Cole, he is probably the current preeminent authority on vehicle fires in North America. more...

The Future of Fire Investigation – Science over Experience

I read a report prepared by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that was a white paper on post fire analysis. The white paper made some statements that were interesting but a little contentious to those who actively investigate fires. more...

Understanding Fire Ratings of Assemblies – Resistance is Futile

Most fire investigators and those involved in the construction industry are familiar with the fire resistance ratings of different types of assemblies, but few understand how these ratings are developed and their true significance. more...

Expert Reports – Making Reports Much Gooder Better

In your career as a fire investigator, you are often asked to prepare reports detailing your findings. In the public sector, sometimes this is limited to the filling in the blanks fire report for the fire commissioner's office possibly with a short narrative discussing the results of the investigation. more...

One in a Million – Using Exemplars to Prove Your Case

When fires occur as a result of a component or appliance that has failed, there is a tendency to think that if this happened once, maybe it will happen again. In the United States and to a lesser extent Canada, a great deal of effort is spent to prove that the manufacturers of a particular item are at fault for a real or perceived defect in their product. more...

NFPA 921 and You – Your Guide to Success

Anyone who has performed any fire investigations is probably somewhat familiar with the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) "Guidelines for Fire and Explosion Investigations" also known as NFPA 921. more...

Fire Modeling – Fashionably Hot Analyses

Fire modeling is an area of fire spread/development analysis that many fire investigators are not particularly familiar with, but it can be, on occasion, a useful tool particularly in complex litigation files. For those not familiar with fire models, the obvious question becomes "What is a fire model and what are the benefits of using one?" more...

Auto-ignition Temperatures – Fire without Spark

The flashpoint and auto-ignition temperatures for flammable liquids have often been an area of limited understanding and research. more...

Vehicle Fluid Auto-ignition Temperatures – Redux

My last column discussed auto-ignition temperatures for flammable liquids. Since that time, I have been involved in the revisions related to the vehicle fire section of NFPA 921 through the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). more...

Beads – Telling the Past from Electrical Arcing Events

Most fire investigators know that beaded wiring is indicative of some type of electrical arcing as, in general, the heat from a fire is insufficient to melt copper wiring. more...

That Burning Feeling – Burn Tests on OSB vs. Drywall

Sometimes we get to do some really interesting performance based testing of materials. I thought I would share some results from some testing we conducted for an assignment. We were asked to investigate a fire that had originated in the attached garage of newer home. more...

Residential Sprinklers – Are they all wet?

I recently came across some interesting results regarding residential sprinkler systems. These are something that has been around for a long time, but has limited use in real housing. more...

CSA and ULC Markings – What Do These Designations Mean?

As an ongoing part of investigating losses in which a product has failed and resulted in some sort of catastrophic loss, sometimes investigators or adjusters think they should send the failed product to either the Canadian Standards Association International (CSA) or Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada (ULC). more...

Primary and Rebuttal Reports – The to and fro of legal battles

Over the years, I have been retained many times by lawyers involved in major losses resulting in civil litigation. Often I have had to prepare primary reports and rebuttal reports in response to other people's expert reports. more...

Digital Photography – Images of Fire Investigation

Digital photography has rapidly advanced over the years. So much so that film photography is in danger of going the way of the horse and buggy. more...