| "This
fire is being classified as a human hands fire"
An investigative report filed for USF&G Insurance Co. by NEMAX Claim Services of Atlanta |
 |
| "This
fire is being classified as a human hands fire"
An investigative report filed for USF&G Insurance Co. by NEMAX Claim Services of Atlanta |
|
| NEMAX CLAIM SERVICES, INC.
ATLANTA SERVICE CENTER 9000 CENTRAL PARK WEST, SUITE # 425 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30328-4519 REPORT NUMBER - ONE & FINAL
Prepared for: USF&G Insurance
Attention: Matt Matthews Insured: Wall Street Investment Company
ASSIGNMENT Assignment received on October 21, 1996 with instructions to conduct an Origin & Cause Investigation at 101 Wall Street, Tabor City, North Carolina. The investigation commenced on October 22, 1996. ATTACHMENTS 1. Photographs with explanation sheet (negatives
in the NEMAX file)
ORIGIN AND CAUSE DETERMINATION This fire originated in the closet of the back bedroom. This opinion is supported by the burn patterns found on the structural members and the contents in this room as well as the statement of Terri Hinson, a resident and witness to this fire. Based on the facts and circumstances presently known to me this fire is being classified as having been caused by human hands. With the exception of the fire originating from some type of human involvement, all accidental ignition sources were considered and eliminated. This fire is being classified as a human hands fire. SUBJECTS Special Agent Matt White
Lieutenant Michael S. Glenn
Corporal Brian Ramey
Officer Robert Moyer
Rodney Strickland
Terri Hinson
FIRE SCENE EVALUATION On Tuesday, October 22, 1996, 101 Wall Street, Taber City, North Carolina was examined for the purposes of determining the origin and the cause of an October 20 fire. Present and providing access to the property were the tenants, Rodney Strickland and Teri Hinson, and one of the property owners, Michael Jones. Also present was Mr. Matt Matthews of USF&G Insurance. The property at 101 Wall Street is a two story, single family dwelling. It is a wood framed structure with a brick veneer on the first floor and is approximately 26' x 26'. It is over 30 years old. It was rented by Rodney Strickland, the primary lessee and his girlfriend Terri Hinson. Ms. Hinson's two children, Brittany age 4 and Joshua age 17 months, lived there also. Joshua did not survive the fire. At the time of the fire Mr. Strickland was away on a visitation with his son at the home of Mr. Strickland's mother in Fairbluff, North Carolina. I found the fire scene surrounded by yellow fire scene tape. The local authorities had not completed their scene examinations, While waiting for access to the scene Mr. Matthews and I took a recorded statement from Mr. Strickland. This statement is summarized in the investigation section of this report. A copy of the transcribed statement is attached. Once the local investigators finished their examinations I began my examination of the exterior. The side of the structure facing Wall Street will be referred to as side "A". Side "B" will be to the left, "C" to the rear and "D" the right side. Light ventilation stains were noted on sides "A" and "C" at the upstairs windows and gable areas. Some darkening of the upstairs windows was noted on side "B". A hole in the roof was noted on the "D" side. It was located to the left of a plumbing vent pipe. The upstairs windows on the left side of side "D" were stained and broken out. An outside electric meter was located on side "D" below an overhead service drop, The service entrance conductors appear to run from the meter into the structure below the first floor. Telephone and cable TV service was noted on side "A". There was no gas service noted. The fire patterns observed from the exterior indicated that the most fire damage was to the upstairs on the "D" side. An examination of the interior was conducted. There were no burn patterns noted on the first floor although there was considerable water in the carpets. A utility room was located on side "D" of the first floor where the 100 amp electrical service panel was found. Three 30 amp fuses were found to have been activated. There was no unusual electrical activity noted at the service panel. The electric water heater was located in that utility room and was noted to have been covered with clothing. It appears that it was being used to dry clothes. A portable electric heater was noted in the livingroom. It was plugged into an outlet under the window on side "B" by way of a lightweight interior extension cord. The heater control switch was found in the on position. It was set at 1500 watts and the dial was at 9, the maximum setting. There was no electrical or fire damage noted to this heater, it's power cord, the extension cord or the outlet. The examination continued upstairs. It was obvious that there had been previous alterations to this area by previous examinations. There was heat and smoke staining noted on the walls of the hallway upstairs. The smoke stains appeared to extend almost to floor level. The heat stains appeared to extend to approximately 3 feet above the floor. There was a second portable heater located in the hallway. It was identical to the-heater found in the livingroom. It was not plugged in. The power setting was at the lower wattage and the dial was at 9, the maximum setting. There was no fire damage noted to this heater or it's cord. There were four rooms upstairs; three bedrooms and a bath. The entire upstairs was finished with painted tongue and groove pine planking on walls and ceilings. The bedrooms on side "A", the master bedroom and side "B", Brittany's room, had heat and smoke damage. There was some fire extension noted in each but it was limited to the doorways. A clock found in the master bedroom on side "A" had been stopped at 3:56. The bedroom on Side 'D" had the heaviest fire damage. This was Joshua's room. The door to this room had been removed presumably during a previous examination. It was found leaning against a wall in the hallway. The veneer portion of the door had been burned through at the top. The door and the jamb exhibited burn patterns that suggest that this door had been partially open during the fire. A closer examination of the fire patterns in this bedroom indicate that the fire originated in the closet on the "C'' side of the room. The closet doors appear to have been closed during the fire allowing the fire to progress until it broke through above them. It then appears to have progressed naturally throughout the room and eventually into the hallway and the other two bedrooms. A duplex receptacle was found to the left of center in the back wall of the closet. It was examined and showed no signs of electrical activity or malfunction. The burn patterns in the closet did not indicate that any heat had originated there. It appears that this receptacle was a victim of the fire. The burn patterns in the closet show more damage to the right side. The attic area above the room of origin was examined. The roof above the closet had been burned through. A romex conductor was found in the attic area that had run from the ceiling fixture in the room of origin to the fixture in the bathroom located behind the closet. This conductor showed no signs of electrical activity that would suggest it was a cause of this fire. The burn patterns in that area did not indicate that any heat had originated there. This conductor was a victim of the fire. The burn patterns found in the attic area indicate that the fire had burned up from the closet. The physical evidence clearly shows the fire originating in the closet of the bedroom located on the "C" side of the building. This location sustained the greatest physical destruction and the tenant, Terri Hinson, reports the first observable flames emanating from there. There were no signs of an ignitable liquid having been present. The fixed wiring and electrical equipment in the area of origin showed no signs of arcing or failure. The tenant's list of contents in that closet does not contain any item(s) that would contribute to a fire cause. The same tenant reports having checked on the child sleeping in that room by flashlight at approximately 10:30 PM. The closet doors were closed and nothing unusual was noted. The tenant reports having smoked a cigarette for the first and only time in that room on Wednesday, three full days prior to the fire. She also stated that the last time she had been in that closet was on Friday. With the elimination of available ignition sources it must be concluded that this fire occurred due to some type of human action. There were no smoke detectors found in the building. It is my understanding that rental property built before 1975 is not required to be protected by hard wired smoke detectors. This property dates well before 1975. The scene examination was concluded on October 22, 1996. INVESTIGATION On October 22, 1996 a recorded statement was taken from the primary lessee, Rodney Strickland. In summary he stated the following: He has been living there since May 1, 1996. He is separated from his wife of 25 years. Terri Hinson and her two children live there with him. At the time of the fire he was at his mother's home in Fairbluff, NC for a weekend visitation with his 14 year old son. He was notified of the fire by a phone call from Terri around 4:00 am. Terri told him that night that she had noticed the power cord to the heater being used downstairs was warm to the touch. She slept downstairs in case something were to happen so she could be there. She was awakened and saw a red flicker at the stairwell. She tried to get the children but was unable to. Her hair was singed. When he first moved in he had to replace three fuses, one edison based and two cartridge type. He has not had to replace any since. There were three light fixtures found hanging. Two were in the kitchen and one in the livingroom. He put them back up and had no problems since. There have been no electrical problems noted other than a lack of outlets. They have been using power strips with surge protection. He did state that Terri thought that the lights had been dimming but he hadn't noticed it. There were no smoke detectors in the house when he moved in. He had not purchased any. There was a leak in the roof that started after Hurricane Fran. When it rained water would leak through into the baby's room. There was enough water to wet the carpet. He remembers telling one of the owners about it. Both he and Terri smoked in the house. He uses a childproof lighter and believes that she does also. He does not recall either of the children playing with a lighter or matches. He seldom has matches in the house. On October 22, 1996 a recorded statement was taken from Terri Hinson. She related the following:
Lieutenant Glenn also related that Officer Robert Moyer of the Taber City Police Department was the first person to arrive on the scene. He attempted to reach the children but could progress no further than the top of the stairs. He reported a heavy smoke condition banking down to within 6-8 inches from the floor. Looking through the smoke he could see an orange glow at the top of the door which appeared to have been closed. He also saw flames near the bottom of the door. On November 20, 1996 I spoke to Special Agent Matt White of the SBI. It was learned that there was an ongoing investigation into this fire and that it did not involve the property owners. COMMENTS Because this fire involved a death I recommended that the adjuster obtain another opinion as to the origin and cause. Accident Reconstruction of Raleigh, North Carolina was given the assignment on October 23, 1996. I have received a telephone report confirming my findings. Their report has not been received as of this writing. |