Imaging documentation in the on-site investigation of explosion/fire events

Abstract

Explosion/fire investigation is a procedure that involves significant resources of time and activities. The most important of the basic activities performed by the investigator/investigation team is the on-site research, which, if properly performed, allows the elaboration, foundation, and verification of hypotheses, while playing a defining role in establishing the final conclusions regarding the place of initiation and cause of the event. For these types of phenomena, the on-site investigation is hampered by the damage caused by the event, making it difficult to identify footprints or traces, or by the disruptive effects of the extinguishing products used. The investigation is carried out in the area of the outbreak as well as in all the areas where the fire spread and aims to examine the fire footprint, the set of traces, objects, and materials present in the burnt area, seen in interaction, both with each other and with the surrounding space and environment. Traditional verbal or written methods of presenting evidence or traces collected at the crime scene are no longer sufficient today, as technological advances are also evident in these areas. Important benefits include the coverage of the entire crime scene, which allows for complete and efficient documentation, using spherical or panoramic photography, or the use of spatial, three-dimensional scans. This paper aims to present the important contribution made by on-site documentation activities using SceneCam Forensic imaging scanning equipment, based on a high-resolution (HDR) image capture device capable of capturing spherical, 360° x 180° images at a resolution of up to 50 Megapixels in a single scanning operation (Spheron Cam VR).