Figure 1. Fire Findings’ Editor, Jack Sanderson, an expert on clothes dryer fires, demonstrates a dryer with internal video cameras, a dryer with plexiglass covers and opened dryers to illustrate how fires occur in these appliances.

Figure 2. ElectroTek Consultants’ Jim Finneran holds a torch to the plastic case of a television to illustrate the difficulty of the material igniting.

Figure 3. Instructors of the long-running “Investigation of Gas and Electric Appliance Fires” course use numerous disassembled appliances and components, like this motor, to show how they work, fail and cause fires.

Figure 4. Seldom-seen demonstrations, like this one involving a high resistance connection in an unused receptacle, are photographed by participants who often use photos taken at the seminar to support their opinions in court.

Figure 5. Hands-on quizzes allow participants to work through the logic used in making fire cause determinations and test their knowledge.