Fire Investigations

Fire Investigations Battalion Chief Bill Leddin

The Orland Fire District Origin and Cause Team is responsible for investigating all fires that occur within the jurisdiction of the Orland Fire Protection District. The District is mandated to investigate all fires and determine whether these fires were accidental or incendiary in nature. These fires include structures (whether occupied or vacant), vehicle fires, and all other types of fires. The OFPD partners with our local police departments (Orland Park, Orland Hills, and Cook County), when a fire is determined to be suspicious or incendiary in nature. Intentionally set fires are criminal in nature and are set for a variety of reasons, such as personal or financial gain, as well as crimes against a person. We also work with our law enforcement partners on fires that are determined to be accidental.

The Orland Fire District Origin and Cause Team investigated all fires within the Orland Fire District in 2021. These fires are not only structure fires, but also include vehicle, vegetation, and other free standing structures. In 2021, there were four intentionally set fires, which included structures, vehicles, and other fires. Many of these fires continue to remain under investigation at this time. Unlike other crimes, there are is no statute of limitations on arson cases. Therefore, they are not closed out until a conclusion to the case is achieved. Many of these cases are closed out with the help of information received from citizens or informants. In the beginning of each new year we revisit all previously unsolved cases and confer with local law enforcement and the Illinois State Fire Marshal to make sure that there is no new information or that their agencies have not closed out one of our cases.

The Orland Fire District works closely with many local police jurisdictions within the Fire District depending on where the suspicious fire occurs. Our team works closely with the Orland Park Police Department, the Orland Hills Police Department, or the Cook County Sheriffs Police Department. The Orland Fire District also partners with the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Cook County Bomb Squad, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). We are also members of the MABAS 19 Origin and Cause Team, as well as the Will-Cook-Grundy Fire Investigation Task Force. We responded to thirty-five mutual aid fire investigations within MABAS 19 and two interdivisional task force responses. We also investigated over twenty-five structure fires within the fire district, as well as all other fires as needed.

The Orland Fire District has nine certified Fire Investigators and one certified Arson Investigator on the team. Our Investigators are state-certified through the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office. Our Investigators must re-certify every four years and must participate in team trainings throughout the year. We conduct monthly fire investigation team training, as well as monthly Task Force/ MABAS training. The Orland Fire District Origin and Cause Team trains to stay current on the latest techniques, as well as staying on top of recalls and safety alerts that we pass on to our residents. We participated in and helped coordinate the Will-Cook-Grundy Fire Investigation Task Force Annual Seminar. The seminar was postponed for 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions imposed on in-person training sessions. Training was restored later in the fall under a new format. We began conducting training via Zoom. It took a while to get the bugs worked out, but this format allowed us to get together remotely. We were able to resume some hands-on training in the fall of 2021.

Fire Investigations

There were limitations in training because many of our guest instructors were not familiar with zoom technology, or did not have the resources. We were able to overcome these challenges by bringing these instructors into our classroom and allowing them to broadcast from a secure facility. We were able to conduct a car fire class that we were able to hold outside with limited exposure to others. The class was attended by students from the Arson Task Force. The Annual Task Force Seminar will once again be held in April 2022.

In 2021, clothes dryers and electrical failures, including bathroom fans, continued to be two of the leading causes of fires that we see within the Orland Fire District. We work very closely with our Public Education Department to get the word out regarding these frequent hazards. After each significant fire, we use social media to alert our residents of hazards or trends we see in the fire service. Having dryers and vents cleaned and maintained has helped prevent fires. Failure to maintain appliances and failing to make sure they are maintained properly continues to cause residential fires. That is why we caution homeowners not to run an appliance while not at home. When you go out, turn off the appliances until you get home to prevent fires.

We continue to be a liaison to our residents and ensure that we work for them in helping them get their lives back together. Our After the Fire handouts help guide our residents in getting on with their lives. We know that after a fire you are often overwhelmed and don’t know where to turn for help. Our investigative team works with homeowners from the moment we respond to their incident until they are ready to move back into their home. We strive to make sure that our residents are able to get on with their lives.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks and need for social distancing, CERT was put on hold for 2021.

This fire started in the first floor of a three story apartment building in Hunter Ridge Apartments. The fire started due to an electrical charger for a laptop. The fire caused smoke throughout the building This fire started in a clothes dryer and quickly spread to laundry outside the dryer. The dryer had not been cleaned of lint for many years. The homeowner was alerted to the fire by a working smoke detector in the basement This fire started in the second floor condo unit of two-story building on Orland Brook Drive. The fire was contained to the one unit with smoke throughout the hallway. The fire started in the dishwasher and spread throughout the unit

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)