How to Investigate an Fire to Bordo: Causes, Peritaje and Forensic Analysis

1. The Destructive Nature of the Maritime Fires

A fire on board is not comparable to a fire on the ground. The marine environment presents unique challenges: confined spaces, high fuel load (sea, lubricants), synthetic materials in the interiors that generate toxic gases, and the difficulty of receiving immediate external aid. This turns naval fires into high-energy events that destroy most physical tests, demanding the expert a deep knowledge of the dynamics of fire in closed environments.

2. Origin Points and Combustion Patterns

The first goal of the forensic expert is to locate the point of origin. Although fire and water from extinction systems alter the scene, combustion patterns follow the laws of physics:

• The V Pattern (V-Pattern): The fire tends to spread up and out, creating a form of V on the walls or mamparos. The base of the V usually indicates the point of origin.
• Chimney effect (Stack Effect): In the machine spaces, heat and gases rapidly rise through the stairwells or vents, creating severe damage to the upper decks that can confuse the inexperienced investigator.
• Differential heating: We analyze the depth of carbonization in wood or steel deformation. The steel is softened and deformed from 500°C; the direction of the deformation of beams and mamparos indicates the intensity and direction of the heat.

3. The 3 Main Causes (The Triangle of Fire to Bordo)

After analyzing hundreds of sinisters, at Prop Trust Verified we have classified the causes of naval fires in three major categories:

A. Electrical Falls (Cause #1)

The electrical systems of ships, especially in vessels with more than 10-15 years, are the main source of ignition. We search:

• Cortocircuits for isolation degradation: The heat, vibration and humidity crack the insulation of the cables, causing electrical arches (arc faults) that reach temperatures of thousands of degrees.
• Overloads in electrical panels: Unauthorised modifications of the original installation to add air conditioning or electronic consumption equipment, without the corresponding dimensioning of the circuit breakers.
• Lithium batteries (e-bikes, skateboards, storage systems): An emerging and critical threat. The thermal leak (thermal runaway) of these batteries is almost impossible to extinguish with traditional CO2 systems.

B. Fuel and Hot Surfaces (Hot Work)

The machine room is a hostile environment. A diesel fuel leak or hydraulic oil on a hot surface (such as the main motor exhaust collector or turbine) causes instant spontaneous ignition.

• Hot jobs (Hot Work): Welds or cuts made without proper permits and no fires, sparks that fall into dirty oil seating or in paint storage areas.

C. Human Mistakes and Neglect in the Machine Room

Fatigue, lack of training or non-compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) are contributing factors in more than 60% of the sinisters. Classic examples include injector purging with the engine running or cleaning of fuel filters with the hot engine.

4. Laboratory and Waste Analysis Techniques

When visual inspection is not sufficient, or when there is suspicion of a fire (scuttling/fraud), we send samples to accredited forensic laboratories:

• Gas Chromatography (GC-MS): We analyze debris residues to detect the presence of accelerants (gasoline, solvents) that should not be in that area of the boat.
• Metallurgical Analysis (SEM/EDX): We use electronic sweeping microscopy to analyze melted electrical cables. We can distinguish if a cable was melted by the external heat of the fire (cause) or if the short circuit occurred before and caused the fire (origin).

5. Related Articles of Forensic Cluster