Fire and Arson Investigator
Although not a professional fire investigator per se, I nevertheless have some training as such (see Arson Investigation Student, Forensic Trainee, and Forensic Anthropology Assistant), and one of my investigations as an Undercover Operative in 1974 was an arson case.
I have done extensive research into cases of alleged "spontaneous human combustion," in part as a doctoral student (concerning SHC as a literary and cultural issue [e.g., Dickens' Bleak House, 1853]). More importantly, forensic analyst John F. Fischer and I published the results of our investigation of 30 historic cases of alleged SHC in The Fire and Arson Investigator (34:3) [March 1984], 4-11; 34:4 [June 1984], 3-8), one additional such case scene being illustrated here. I have written many further articles on the subject and discussed it on TV documentaries (such as "Investigation X: Spontaneous Human Combustion," Discovery Channel, October 27, 2008). I have also taught a seminar on this topic (see Fire-Academy Instructor).
