Last year Louisiana passed a law that does not require the act of causing a fire to be intentional for the fire to be classified arson. The new law is called “Negligent Arson”. The statute number is R.S. 14:52.2. It is defined as, Negligent arson is the damaging of any building, as defined by R.S. 33:4771, of another by the setting of fire or causing an explosion, without consent of the owner or custodian of the building, when the offender's criminal negligence causes the fire or the explosion. R.S. 33:4471: "Building" means any structure designed or built for the support, enclosure, shelter, or protection of persons, animals, chattels, or property of any kind, including any part or component of such a structure.

Jim Mazerat
Forensic Investigations Group