What may physical evidence recovered at a fire scene help determine?

Physical evidence recovered at a fire scene plays a critical role in forensic investigations, particularly in determining the origin, cause, spread, or responsibility for the fire. This evidence can include things like burned materials, fire patterns, accelerants, and electrical wiring. By analyzing these materials, investigators can discern how the fire started and how it progressed. This can help establish whether the fire was accidental or intentional, and can identify possible points of origin.

In contrast, while physical evidence might tangentially inform about potential suspects, it does not directly confirm the identity of a perpetrator, which makes the first choice less relevant. Estimating the total cost of damages involves financial assessments and is not something that can be determined from physical evidence at the scene. Emotional impacts on victims, while significantly important for understanding the human element of a fire incident, cannot be quantified or assessed through physical evidence in an objective, forensic manner. Thus, the investigation primarily focuses on the evidence's capability of elucidating the specifics of the fire case itself.