Accelerants are substances that speed up the spread of fires, such as hydrocarbons, paper, and plastics. Detecting accelerants is important in arson investigations, as they contribute to the heat and speed of a fire. Accelerants can cause explosions and can be identified by tools such as dogs and physical clues. They can occur naturally or accidentally, and it’s important to ensure that certain materials dry completely to prevent them from acting as accelerants.
An accelerant is any substance that speeds up a process, but most people use the term specifically to refer to substances that contribute to the spread of fires. Fire accelerants include things like hydrocarbons, paper, plastics, and other materials that can cause a fire to spread faster or burn more fiercely than it otherwise would. In arson investigations, the detection of accelerants is particularly important, as the presence of this substance will need to be demonstrated in order for the fire to be classified as arson.
When an accelerant is present at a fire site, it contributes significantly to how fast the fire moves and how hot the fire burns. Without an accelerant, most fires burn at relatively low temperatures; while these temperatures are high enough to cause serious damage and kill any living organism caught in a fire, they are typically not hot enough to do things like melt hard metals. In the presence of an accelerant, however, a fire has what is known as a higher heat release rate, meaning that the fire burns very hot, causing substantially more damage to the site.
An accelerant can also cause an explosion, typically through a buildup of vapors that ignite in the heat of the fire reaching it. The explosive nature of accelerants has sometimes literally exploded in the face of arsonists, as a fire can ignite explosively before anyone is fully prepared for it; as a result, the bodies of arsonists are sometimes found at the fires they started. The characteristic explosions of some accelerants are sometimes a key clue to fire inspectors, who may be able to tell a fire is arson while still burning, thanks to the explosions, high heat, and rapid spread.
Arson investigators can use a variety of tools to identify accelerants at a site. Accelerators leave distinct chemical trails that can be detected by a malicious dog’s nose, for example, and sometimes obvious physical clues can show that an accelerant is present. Once the use of an accelerant has been proven, a fire can be classified as arson, opening an investigation to determine who started the fire and why.
In addition to being deliberately introduced to a site with the intention of causing a fire, an accelerant can also occur naturally or be introduced accidentally. Historically, some plastics have acted as accelerants, releasing vapors that could ignite dangerously, and some very serious fires have been caused by the presence of such vapors in homes, hotels, and businesses. Some glues, solvents, and paints can also act as accelerants, which is why it’s important to make sure those things dry completely when applied.
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