Frontal Impact Leads to Severe Burn Injuries in Automotive Fire

Case Overview

This case involves an individual who suffered severe burn injuries as a passenger in a luxury sports vehicle that ignited following a frontal impact collision. The vehicle in question had a history of safety concerns, specifically a recall issued prior to the incident due to risks of fires stemming from similar impacts. The plaintiff alleges that the vehicle's design flaws and previous recalls contributed to the severity of the injuries sustained during the accident. An expert in fire and explosion investigation has been sought to analyze the circumstances surrounding the fire and determine its cause, focusing particularly on the vehicle's fuel system and safety standards.

Questions to the Fire expert and their responses

Briefly, how might frontal impact cause a vehicle to catch fire such as this?

My initial thoughts are that frontal impact affected the fuel rail or fueling system components and the collision caused sparks or arcs that ignited fuel vapors that were released. However, it should be noted that there are standards for automobile manufacturing that require designs allowing for a specified amount of time after impact for occupants to escape before fire can potentially progress from the engine compartment into the passenger compartment.

How often are you involved in determining the cause of a fire in automotive vehicles?

I investigate numerous automobile fires annually.

About the expert

This expert has over 20 years of experience in the field of fire investigations for both the public and private sectors. He earned an associate degree in fire science from Columbia Southern University and has completed numerous courses related to fire and explosion investigations sponsored by the International Association of Arson Investigators, the National Fire Academy, and other federal, state, and local organizations. He is certified by the IAAI and the NAFI as a fire investigator. He remains active in his profession, serving on several committees at the IAAI. He is also the facilitator for the IAAI ECT program and has served as a committee chair for an IAAI publication. He previously served as an investigator with local fire districts and the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal. Currently, he serves as the chief investigator at a forensic fire investigation consultancy firm in Louisiana.

E-139278

Specialties:

Fire