Arson Evidence Container Evaluation: II. “New Generation” Kapak Bags

Abstract

Packaging for arson evidence must be convenient to transport to and from the scene, available in a range of sizes, water resistant, easy to seal, and effective at providing containment of accelerant vapors. Traditional containers have several limitations for use in the field and the laboratory. A polyester-polyolefin composite film bag was an attractive candidate but had been largely abandoned because of a contamination problem. Similar bags made with film from a modified process designed to eliminate the contaminant were studied to assess their suitability as containers for routine use by arson investigators. This study showed the “new generation” bags to be free of the prior contaminant and sufficiently retentive for packaging and storage of arson evidence.

Performance Testing of the New AMPAC Fire Debris Bag Against Three Other Commercial Fire Debris Bags*

“…Various types of fire debris containers have been examined, for example, different types of nylon bags (2)(3)(4), nylon-polyethylene bags (4), polyester-polyolefin Kapak Fire DebrisPAK Ô bags (3)(4)(5)(6), polyethylene-polyvinylidene dichloride bags (7), and various cans and jars (3,5,6). The majority of the fire debris evidence collected in the Netherlands is secured in 2.5 L glass jars.…”

“…The ALU and DUO bags are, together with nylon bags, the most commonly used collection bags in Europe today, based on a survey conducted in 2007 among 23 European forensic institutes by the Fire and Explosion Investigation working group of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes. The AMPAC bag was introduced in 2010 as the successor of the Kapak Fire DebrisPAK ™ bag, which was removed from the market several years ago, despite being a suitable container in all regards for fire debris evidence (2,3,5,6). The Kapak bag was not included in this study as it is no longer commercially available.…”

Forensic science

“…Microbial action on accelerants is of importance to arson investigation (657). A polyester-polyolefin bag was shown to be free of contaminants and sufficiently retentive for packaging arson evidence (658). Doubt has been cast on the theories that gasoline or volatile petroleum liquid fuels used as accelerants can cause explosive spilling on concrete slabs (659).…”