Inaugural Episode… conversation with Chief Ryan Rivera!!!

A fire scene cannot be examined without being changed. Debris is moved, objects are repositioned, systems are disconnected, and evidence may be collected or altered during the search for the fire’s origin and cause. But when those changes prevent another party from independently examining important evidence, the investigation can become the subject of a spoliation claim. In this episode of Following the Flames, Richard O’Connor explores spoliation in fire investigation, including the duty to preserve evidence, the consequences of destructive examination, and the importance of documenting an item’s original location, orientation, connections, and surrounding context. The episode also examines key legal principles and cases that demonstrate how evidence preservation can affect expert testimony, litigation, and the ability of all parties to evaluate competing hypotheses. Because in fire investigation, discovering the evidence is only part of the responsibility. Preserving its meaning may be just as important. Learn more at Followingtheflames.com.

In this episode, I sit down with John Lentini, one of the most respected voices in the field of fire investigation and fire science. Drawing on decades of experience, John has played an important role in challenging long-held assumptions about how fires are investigated and in advancing a more scientific, evidence-based approach to determining fire origin and cause. Our conversation explores fire investigation through the lens of experience, science, and the evolution of the profession. We discuss the lessons investigators can learn from the past, the importance of questioning assumptions, and why investigators must remain willing to reconsider their conclusions when the evidence points in a different direction. For fire investigators, firefighters, attorneys, forensic professionals, or anyone interested in understanding how fire investigation has evolved, this episode offers an opportunity to hear directly from someone who has helped shape the modern profession.

In this episode of Following the Flames, I sit down with Dr. Elayne Pope to explore one of the most complex and challenging areas of fire investigation—fatal fires.

In this episode of Following the Flames, we sit down with renowned fire researcher Dr. Daniel Madrzykowski to explore the critical intersection between fire science and real-world fire investigation.