Case Study

A settlement in excess $250,000 was agreed on after continued investigation research and several depositions.

We conducted a fire scene examination on March 10, 11, 2015. Based on our investigation of the dwelling, we determined the origin of the fire was in the utility electrical closet located in the basement. Information reveals that on the day of the fire incident a HVAC technician was repairing the heat pump system for the second floor heating system. The technician found two burned wires in the second floor air handling unit. He left the burned wires with the insured along with an invoice and went down to the basement utility closet and turned the circuit breaker back on and left. The insured noticed, after the technician left, that the outside condenser was not running and called the HVAC company and was informed that was normal and would eventually cycle back on. The insured also left to go to work.

Within a 1/2 hour of the heating company service technician leaving, a developing fire was discovered in the basement’s electrical utility closet.

We conducted a fire scene examination on March 10, 11, 2015. Based on our investigation of the dwelling, we determined the origin of the fire was in the utility electrical closet located in the basement. Information reveals that on the day of the fire incident a HVAC technician was repairing the heat pump system for the second floor heating system. The technician found two burned wires in the second floor air handling unit. He left the burned wires with the insured along with an invoice and went down to the basement utility closet and turned the circuit breaker back on and left.

Based on interviews examination of the burn patterns and the dwelling’s electrical system located in the basement. The origin of the fire was well defined in the wiring for the branch circuits feeding through the top of the distribution panel located on the right side. The right side distribution panel energized the branch circuit for the heat pump air handling unit located in the attic.

Examination of the wiring at the area of fire origin revealed significant electrical arcing which ignited nearby combustibles and damaged a natural gas pipe resulting in a gas leak that accelerated the fire. Due to the extensive fire damage the fire propagated across the utility room and to the upper floors resulting in some fire damage and smoke and water damage throughout the upscale dwelling. We were able to determine through diagrams, testing and testimony that the HVAC technician was responsible for the fire incident.