A Review of Fire-Related Deaths in Alberta

Abstract

Burnt remains and fire-related research are growing areas of investigation in forensicanthropology;however,forthisresearchtobevaluabletocriminaldeath investigationsitmustbecomparablewithrealdeathcircumstances.Toensurethis relevance,anunderstandingofthecircumstances(andvictimprofiles)relatingto fatal fires is required. As a first step in addressing these issues, this paper examines and interprets fire deaths occurring in Alberta, Canada over a ten-year periodbetweenJanuary1999andDecember2008.Theresultsshowthat274indi-viduals died in 231 fire incidents during the period under review. The majority of thesedeathsoccurredinresidentialfires(65%),vehiclefiresfollowingvehiclecollisions (20%) and stationary vehicle fires (8%). Analysis also indicates that the victimandburnprofilevarywithfiretype.Inresidentialfires,youngandelderlyindividualsareatriskwhereasinvehiclefiresfollowingvehiclecollisions,middle-aged adults are the most common victims. Victims of residential fires exhibit varying degreesofburndamageandremainsmaybereducedtocalcinedbonefragments. More severe burning is seen in trailer or cabin fires compared to house fires. In vehicle fires, burn damage is often significant, with remains frequently exhibiting thermalamputation.Fatalresidentialandstationaryvehiclefiresaremorecommon inthewinterandspringseasons,incontrasttovehiclefiresfollowingvehiclecollisionswhichoccurmostofteninthefall. RÉSUMÉ Les débris d'incendies et la recherche reliée aux incendies sont des domaines d'investigation en anthropologie judiciaire qui prennent beaucoup d'ampleur, cependant pour que cette recherche soit valable aux investigations criminelles impliquant un décès, elle doit être comparable avec des circonstances de décès réels. Pour s'assurer de cette valeur, il faut comprendre les circonstances (et les profiles des victimes) à la suite d'un incendie mortel. Ce travail se fixe comme objectif premier de tenter d'expliquer ou de mieux comprendre les circonstances d'incendies mortels en faisant l'interprétation d'incendies mortels en Alberta ,CanadasurunepériodededixansentreJanvier1999etDécembre2008.Lesrésul-tatsdémontrentque274individussontdécédésàlasuitede231incendiesdurant lapérioderévisée.Lamajoritédecesdécèssontàlasuited'incendiesrésidentiels (65%),d'incendiesimpliquantdesvoituresaprèsunecollision(20%)etd'incendies impliquantdesvoituresstationnaires(8%).Lesrésultatsdémontrentaussiquele profile brûlé de la victime varie dépendant du type d'incendie. Dans les cas d'incendiesrésidentiels,lestrèsjeunesetlesvieillardssontsouventlesvictimes tandisquedansdesincendiesimpliquantdesvoituresàlasuited'unecollision,les adultes d'ages moyens sont plus souvent les victimes. Les victimes d'incendies résidentielsdémontrentsurtoutdesprofilesbrûlésquivarientetdescorpsréduits à des fragments d'os calcinés. On voit des profiles beaucoup plus sévères lorsDownloaded by [Chulalongkorn University] at 09:39 26 December 2014 d'incendiesrésidentielsimpliquantdesmaisonsmobilesetdescabinesqueceux impliquant des maisons. On voit du dommage très significatif aux vict...

Population Trends and Fire Prevention in Merseyside UK

“…Alcohol consumption rates in the UK appear to be declining for younger and middle aged individuals, but appear to be increasing for older and more affluent individuals [3]. Both smoker's materials and alcohol consumption had been previously identified as fire risk factors [23], [41], and for the period 2006-2016 in Merseyside, 51% of fire fatalities involved smoker's materials, and 40% of fire fatalities involved alcohol consumption.…”

An exploration of alcohol-related fire incidences

“…The other GIS maps included areas with a prevalence of 'harmful' or 'hazardous alcohol consumption and fire fatalities in accidental dwelling fires, areas with a prevalence of 'harmful' or 'hazardous alcohol consumption with smoking prevalence and fire injuries in accidental dwelling fires, and areas with a prevalence of 'harmful' or 'hazardous alcohol consumption with smoking prevalence and fire fatalities in accidental dwelling fires. The GIS maps that included smoking prevalence as well as 'harmful' or 'hazardous alcohol consumption were required since a number of previous studied had linked alcohol related fire risks with smoking (Leth et al, 1998;Waterhouse (2010);CFB, 2015;Ballard et al, 1991).…”

“…Leth et al (1998) undertook a study of fatalities in dwelling fires in the municipality of Copenhagen in Denmark that identified smoking combined with alcohol intoxication as significant factors associated with residential dwelling fire fatalities. Waterhouse (2010) found a strong correlation between fire deaths and smoking and /or alcohol consumption in a study of fire related deaths in Alberta, Canada. Jordan et al (1999) in a study of house fire fatalities in Eastern Scotland identified alcohol intoxication, and social deprivation as significant factors in residential dwelling fire incidents.…”