Fire Forensics

At Thornton Tomasetti, our fire forensics team combines engineering expertise with advanced investigative techniques to determine the causes and conceive solutions for fire-related incidents. From structural failures to material performance, we provide actionable insights to support legal, insurance and safety outcomes. 

Our Fire Forensics Services 

• Fire origin and cause analysis: Pinpointing the source and progression of fires through detailed scene inspections and evidence analysis.
• Extent of damage assessment: Evaluating fire-damaged structures to assess the extent and severity of damage.   
• Prioritizing human safety: Investigating risks to life by analyzing fire-related deaths, assessing egress pathways for compliance with NFPA and local codes and evaluating the impact of fire and smoke on occupants to recommend life-saving design improvements, ensuring safer buildings through precise cause determination and preventive strategies.
• Feasibility of re-use: Determining the potential for re-use of structural elements after a fire, particularly foundations and other non-combustible elements.
• Electrical systems analysis: Investigating the performance of electrical systems and fire protection systems after fire, heat, soot and smoke exposure.
• Fireproofing and suppression system analysis: Conducting thorough investigations of fireproofing materials and fire suppression systems, evaluating their performance before and after fire incidents to identify failures, ensure compliance with safety standards and recommend enhancements for improved protection and resilience.
• Stabilization and/or demolition engineering: Stabilization and deconstruction engineering of fire-damaged structures to make safe and assist with fire investigations.
• Industrial fire forensics expertise: Investigating fire incidents in industrial settings, including heavy equipment, factories and facilities, using advanced forensic analysis to identify causes, assess structural and system damage and recommend resilient, code-compliant solutions to enhance safety and prevent future risks.
• Solar panels: Analyzing fire incidents involving solar panels, identifying ignition sources, assessing damage to panels and supporting structures and providing tailored recommendations to enhance safety and resilience in renewable energy installations.
• Code review: Assess code compliance with the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) fire safety codes and standards. Analyze fire protection system compliance with building codes.
• Insurance claims: Determining the extent of damage, assisting with documentation and assessing what can be reused, including evaluating whether certain code upgrade have been triggered by the loss.
• Expert testimony: Providing clear, evidence-based testimony for legal and insurance proceedings.
• Fire modeling and simulation: Using advanced computational tools to reconstruct fire scenarios and validate findings.
• Wildfire impact investigations: Analyzing wildfire-related damage to structures, assessing ignition causes, evaluating fireproofing effectiveness and recommending resilient design solutions to protect buildings and enhance safety in wildfire-prone regions.

Our Approach 

Our multidisciplinary team of fire protection engineers, structural engineers and forensic specialists employs a rigorous, science-based approach to every investigation. We understand that fire damage can be variable both from property to property and within the same site. We integrate field inspections, laboratory testing and cutting-edge analytical tools to deliver precise, defensible conclusions. Several of our team members are Certified Fire and Explosion Investigators by the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI). Our process includes: 

• Site documentation: Thorough examination and documentation of fire scenes using 3D scanning, photography and drones.
• Evidence collection: Systematic gathering and preservation of physical evidence for laboratory analysis.
• Advanced analysis: Leveraging computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA) to model fire behavior and structural response.
• Collaborative insights: Working closely with clients, insurers and legal teams to provide clear, actionable recommendations.
• Reporting: Delivering comprehensive reports that are concise, technically robust and tailored to your needs.
• Resilience: Our resilience team members advise on site selection to avoid wildfire-prone areas and suggest building strategies to help structures withstand potential fire threats.