CLASS B ARSON

Presented by:
Rasel Gomez
Hantrisha Halop
What is Class B Arson?
MGM Grand Hotel and Casino
Facts of the incident
• Location: MGM Grand Hotel and Casino,
Las Vegas, Nevada
• Date: November 21, 1980
 Four Basic Lines of Inquiry of Arson
Investigation
• Origin of Fire:The fire originated in a restaurant known as The Deli, located on the
first floor of the hotel and casino. The fire spread quickly through the building's
entire interior, fueled by combustible materials, inadequate fireproofing, and the
failure of the fire sprinkler system.
• Motive:The official cause of the fire was not arson. Instead, it was determined to
be an accident. The fire was caused by an electrical malfunction within a
refrigerated pastry display case in The Deli restaurant.
• Identification of Prime Suspect:As the fire was determined to be accidental, there
was no prime suspect in this case. Instead, the focus shifted to investigating the
reasons for the rapid spread of the fire, such as poor building materials and lack of
effective fire safety measures.
• Identification of Firesetter:Since the fire was deemed accidental, there was no
deliberate firesetter. However, the incident raised questions about the hotel's fire
safety standards and maintenance practices.
 Was it a fire accident or arson?
• The incident was determined to be an accidental fire. Investigators
traced the origin of the fire to an electrical short circuit in a
refrigerated pastry display case. The fire quickly spread through the
hotel due to the presence of highly combustible materials and
ineffective fire safety measures.

Total Casualty and Damage

- The MGM Grand fire was one of the deadliest hotel fires in U.S. history,
resulting in 85 fatalities and over 600 injuries.Most of the deaths were
caused by smoke inhalation, as the fire quickly filled the building with toxic
smoke.
- The hotel suffered extensive damage, estimated at over $100 million. The
casino and hotel were closed for repairs and renovations for several months
following the incident.
The Ghost Ship Warehouse Fire
Facts of the incident
• Location: Oakland, California
• Date: December 2, 2016
• Incident Description: A large fire engulfed the Ghost Ship warehouse,
a residential artist collective and venue for events. The fire started
during a concert event with many attendees present.
 Four Basic Lines of Inquiry of Arson
•
Investigation
Origin of Fire: The fire originated on the ground floor near the
entrance. Due to the building's layout, it quickly spread through the
structure.
• Motive: Investigators did not initially find evidence of malicious
intent or motive; the fire seemed accidental. However, there were
potential issues related to code violations and safety measures.
• Identification of Prime Suspect:Since it was not immediately clear if
arson was involved, there was no prime suspect identified early in the
investigation. Later inquiries focused on the building owner and
leaseholder for negligence due to the unsafe conditions.
• Identification of Firesetter: The firesetter, in this case, could not be
directly identified. The fire seemed to result from unsafe electrical
wiring, which led to the fire spreading rapidly.
Was it a fire accident or arson?
• The fire was classified as accidental, not arson. The
investigation revealed that the warehouse had numerous
code violations, including illegal construction, substandard
wiring, and blocked exits. The combination of these factors
led to a rapid spread of the fire, but there was no evidence
of intentional ignition.

Total Casualty and Damage

-The fire resulted in 36 deaths and many injuries.
- The damage included the total loss of the warehouse,
which housed numerous artist studios and residential
spaces.
- The incident highlighted significant safety concerns in
buildings used for residential and event purposes.