Determining the Cause of a Fire

Following many fires, the National City Fire Department conducts a fire investigation to determine the origin, cause, and circumstances of the incident. These investigations help improve public safety, support fire prevention efforts, assist insurance companies, and, when necessary, aid law enforcement in criminal investigations.

Fire investigators carefully examine the fire scene after it has been declared safe, documenting conditions, collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, and evaluating all available information before reaching a determination.

Why Do Investigations Take Time?

Every fire is unique. While some investigations can be completed quickly, others require additional analysis, evidence collection, laboratory testing, or coordination with other agencies.

The length of an investigation depends on several factors, including:

• The size and complexity of the fire
• The extent of damage
• The availability of evidence
• The need for witness interviews
• Coordination with insurance companies or law enforcement agencies

Our investigators are committed to conducting thorough and accurate investigations to ensure the findings are supported by the available evidence.

Fire Reports

If your incident requires a fire investigation, the final fire report may not be immediately available while the investigation is ongoing.

Once the investigation has been completed and the report has been approved for release, it may be requested through the City's NextRequest Public Records Portal.