Accident or Arson?

9781582441979

1582441979

The smoldering remains of a corpse are found in a grim back alley. The pungent odor of gasoline lingers in the air as the acrid smoke dissipates at the scene of a warehouse fire. What evidence can be preserved when the crime itself is a blazing inferno that leaves nothing but charred rubble in its wake?They are the elite of Chicagos fire department. Highly trained in the most up-to-date investigative technologies, the fire marshals of the Office of Fire Investigation analyze every incident in the city to determine whether the cause of a conflagration is accidental--or an intentional act of arson. Bill Cosgrove takes us onto the front line of crime detection in a fascinating first-hand account of a unique and innovative organization that coordinates with local and federal law enforcement agencies to establish the cause of every fire in the city. We experience the hard-edged world of these dedicated professionals as they work around the clock and against time under the most extreme conditions. Capturing the heroic spirit and keen intelligence of his comrades-in-arms, Bill Cosgrove gives us an intriguingly unusual perspective on the ever-evolving art of crime-solving.