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Full Scale Room Burn Pattern Study (NIJ Report 601-97)
Published
Author(s)
Anthony D. Putorti Jr.
Abstract
One method fire investigators use to determine the cause and origin of a fire is the study of patterns or "indicators" left on building components or building contents by the fire. Previous studies have shown that some traditionally used indicators have little or no technically defensible basis. In order to study the patterns or "indicators" produced by fires, full scale experiments were conducted using test rooms furnished as residential bedrooms. Temperatures and heat fluxes at various locations in the rooms were measured. In some cases, the concentrations of oxygen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide were measured. This report describes the experimental setup, measurement results, and the post fire inspection of the rooms.