Fire Response and Investigation

Fire response and investigation - ship fires and computer simulations

Major fires on vessels and shore-side infrastructure are among the greatest hazards facing the global maritime industry.

Losses associated with fires and explosions on vessels and land-based structures can be vast and in the worst cases can lead to loss of life and vessels and structures being rendered as constructive total losses.

What’s more, these incidents can be difficult to investigate.

So, whether you want to reduce your exposure to risk, or conduct a detailed investigation into a fire or explosion incident, speak to Brookes Bell today.

Types of maritime fires and explosions investigated

Brookes Bell has experience investigating a wide range of different types of fires and explosions at sea, shore side and elsewhere. 

Thanks to this depth of experience, we are able to offer the following services:

• Fire investigation - including engine room, cargo, accommodation and yacht fires
• Solid, liquid, chemical and gas phase explosion investigations
• Support and advice on lithium-ion and other battery fires
• Support and advice on the superheating of metal structures
• Management and coordination of fire and explosion incidents
• Support and advice to ongoing firefighting operations
• Salvage management
• Detailed, methodical collection and evaluation of evidence
• Documentary evidence - evaluation and opinion
• Advice on interpretation and application of codes of legislation
• Personal attendance or remote advice

Investigation of land-based fires and explosions

Fires don’t just occur at sea. In many instances they are just as likely to occur shore-side, on ports and docks, warehouses, cranes, warehouses and other pieces of land-based infrastructure. 

Explosions and fires that have occurred in a shore-side environment present fire investigators with a unique mix of challenges. 

The nature of shore-side environments provides not only immediate safety challenges, but can make things like scene documentation, evidence gathering and other essential tasks much more difficult. 

Brookes Bell is perfectly positioned to tackle these challenges thanks to our mix of experience and expertise. 

We also have considerable volumes of technical documentation, textbooks and other reference works, meaning we can deploy best practice in the investigation of challenging land-based fires and explosions. 

The types of scenarios where we have investigated land-based fires includes: 

• Ports, docks and associated equipment
• Digger bucket loaders
• Cranes 
• Warehouses
• Houses

We have also investigated fatal fires, with the regulatory and specialist investigative requirements that come with them. 

Incorporation of multiple disciplines

One of the reasons that Brookes Bell’s approach to fire and explosion investigations is so sought after is our policy of incorporating multiple disciplines into our investigations.

We understand that fires and explosions are usually unexpected, sudden and often violent destructive events which impact multiple parts and systems of a vessel.

As such, a thorough, accurate, successful and case-winning investigation requires the expertise of many different disciplines.

That’s why at Brookes Bell we draw upon professionals as varied as marine engineers, Master Mariners, metallurgists, scientists, naval architects and more to provide the most comprehensive possible investigation.

The value of Brookes Bell’s fire investigation expertise

Whilst it may be tempting to hire inexperienced local investigators or surveyors, you’ll quickly discover that this is a false economy.

The use of inexperienced local investigators can result in the need to re-evaluate and reinvestigate an incident, by which time important pieces of evidence may have become lost.

The margins between the success and failure of a fire and/or explosion investigation can be extremely thin; so, it pays to get it right the first time.