Another lost art in the modern fire investigation environment is the ability to talk to people. As investigators many years before me have said "You need to get off your butt and knock on doors to solve cases." Just interviewing those witnesses that happen to be at the fire scene or associated with the property does not a complete investigation make. The investigator needs to look and look hard for possible witnesses and in modern times, video surveillance.

Used in the right way and, taken with a grain of salt since all witnesses are different, the witness observations are invaluable.

The lack of true actual fire science in investigations of old was very detrimental to our business. However the old ways of witness interviewing are still very important for those long term fires, black holes, that we sometimes have to investigate. Available burn patterns are of no use to you in those instances.

Monty Messenger