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Re: Fire Cause Classification
Posted by:
J L Mazerat (IP Logged)
Date: May 12, 2022 11:50AM
Here again we are talking about semantics. I do not like using the word incendiary because people take the word to mean a criminal act. I would rather use and have used for many years the involvement of a human act.
Most people that are not fire investigator and use 921 will tend to use a different definition that the one found in 921 when considering the meaning of incendiary. Most of the definitions a person will read tend to link the word to a criminal act. Unless the fire investigator explain this when using the term, the investigator could end up misleading the person receiving the communication.
If you look at the Motive section (23.4.9) the document gives instruction as to what may be used in the determining the intent process. It explains to the investigator the difference between motive and intent.
Jim Mazerat
Forensic Investigations Group