1. Spalling Jordan Hunter Marissa Kuhns Cole Yazujian

2. What is the Myth?  Spalling: breaking off of pieces of the surface of concrete, cement or brick due to intense heat. Brown stains around the spall indicate the use of a fire accelerant.  Numerous laboratory tests which saturated concrete with gasoline and other flammables (even torches were used on some) failed to produce the spalling.

3. Why is it a Myth?  Because many have misinterpreted it as just being associated with arson  Spalling does not normally occur due to arson  The spalling may be an indicator of the use of accelerants

4. How does it affect investigations?  Many consumers have lost everything to their insurance company because of this one faulty indicator alone  Fire investigators have argued endlessly about the characteristics of an accelerant-induced spall versus a naturally occurring one

5.  Spalling can occur with accelerant or without