Forensic Friday: Fire Doesn’t Lie… But We Do
Can a burn mark convict you? For decades, it did.
Before science caught up, fire investigators were trained to “read” a scene like a storybook: V-patterns, alligatoring, melted metal. But many of those so-called signs of arson? Just bad science, passed down like folklore and wielded in courtrooms like gospel. NFPA 921 has tried to clean up the mess, but old habits die hard and some convictions still burn from their aftermath.
What happens when the fire investigator’s gut becomes evidence? When flawed testimony helps lock someone away?
Let’s talk about it.
Have you ever seen a case where fire investigation went wrong? Or do you think instinct still has a place alongside science?
Pull up a chair. The floor is open.
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