The local fire marshal shall, in accordance with the provisions of section 29-311, investigate the cause, origin and circumstances of any fire or explosion within his jurisdiction, by reason of which property has been destroyed or damaged, or any person injured or killed, or any incidents which threatened any property with destruction or damage or any person with injury or death by reason of fire or explosion, and shall especially investigate whether such fire was the result of an incendiary device or the result of carelessness, design or any criminal act; and the State Fire Marshal, or the deputy fire marshal under his direction, may supervise and direct such investigation.

(1949 Rev., S. 3672; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 81-429, S. 1; 81-472, S. 154, 159; P.A. 11-51, S. 107.)

History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 81-429 required that fire marshal investigate specifically listed types of fires and explosions rather than “any fire by reason of which property has been destroyed or damaged” and deleted two-day limit for initiation of investigation following fire; P.A. 81-472 made technical corrections; Sec. 29-49 transferred to Sec. 29-302 in 1983; P.A. 11-51 deleted provision re Commissioner of Public Safety serving as State Fire Marshal, effective July 1, 2011.

Annotation to former section 29-49:

Cited. 189 C. 228.

Annotations to present section:

Once charred wood flooring samples were lawfully seized pursuant to the cause and origin investigation statutes, defendant no longer possessed a reasonable expectation of privacy in them. 246 C. 63.

Cited. 18 CA 254; 46 CA 350.