Annual Fire Investigation

The annual Fire and Arson Investigation burn was held on May 1st, 2023 at the Warren Tech Central Campus in Lakewood. Students from the Fire Science, Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, and Building Trades all combine on what they have learned over their course of the year about building construction, firefighting, evidence preservation, and gathering and analyzing evidence. The event started with the welcome from Matt Walsh, Principal of Warren Tech and the introductions. Two structures were built and staged with evidence of a crime scene and set on fire. After the burns the criminal justice students collected, preserved, and processed the evidence from the burn, and the forensic science students analyzed the evidence, fire dynamics, and burn patterns. Instructors for the event were Fire Inspector and Investigator Rob Sprenkle of South Metro Fire Rescue, David Mooney, Lockheed Martian Fire Inspector and investigator, and Dan Hrouda a private fire investigator for Envista Forensics, and Matt Beckett, Warren Tech Fire Science Instructor. Special thanks Scott Plumber from the Arvada Fire Protection District with student instruction/education prior to the burns, Brian Eberle from West Metro Fire Rescue, Dennis Kahler for donating for the burn and to 5280Fire for photos. Previous events: Warren Tech Arson Investigation 2022, Warren Tech Arson Investigation 2019, Fire Dynamics 2018, Warren Tech Training Burn 2017 and Fire & Emergency Services Higher Education Research Project 2015.