FPEeXTRA Issue 109

FIRE INVESTIGATION ANALYSIS OF FRACTURING TRUCK INSIDENT BASED ON LOCAL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE AS A NON-PETROLEUM FUEL SOURCE

Catur Setyawan Kusumohadi¹, Faizal Fajriansyah², Adrianus Pangaribuan³

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2.     Methods

This investigation employed a qualitative case study methodology based on established forensic science protocols. The field investigation was conducted at the site of the incident, where a fracturing truck—used for chemical mixing and pumping operations—was severely damaged by fire. The sequence of methods applied in this study is systematically illustrated in the flow diagram presented in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Investigation Procedure Diagram

As part of the analysis, five types of locally available alcoholic beverages—Arak Bali, Cap Tikus, Ciu, MCD Whisky, and Tuak—were selected as reference fuels. Samples from these beverages, along with fire residues collected from the incident site, were analyzed using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) at the DKI Jakarta Fire and Rescue Laboratory

2.1. Fire Scene Documentation and Sampling

Burn patterns were identified around the engine deck, electrical system, and metal frame of the truck. Special attention was given to melted spare parts and areas with heavy charring and carbonization. These patterns were mapped and are presented in Figure 2

Figure 2 Fire Pattern Mapping on the Fracturing Truck

Figure 2 presents the mapping of fire patterns based on photographic documentation taken from several key points at the site. This mapping serves as a reference for Figure 3, which shows the sampling locations of fire debris collected during the investigation.

Figure 3. Sample collection map of fire debris.

This image illustrates the specific sampling points across the fracturing truck, marked with corresponding sample codes (01–17). Each red box indicates a group of samples taken from targeted zones based on burn intensity, material melting, and fire spread patterns.

2.2. GC-MS Operational Principle and Analysis

GC-MS (Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry) is an analytical method that combines two main techniques: gas chromatography (GC) for separating compounds within a sample, and mass spectrometry (MS) for identifying and quantifying those compounds. Based on the system workflow illustrated in Figure 4, the following is a description of each component:

FIGURE 4 Workflow Diagram of GC-MS System

The GC-MS system consists of two main parts: gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS). The process begins with the automatic liquid sampler (1), which injects the sample into the system. The sample is vaporized and carried by an inert gas (2) into the GC column (3), where compounds are separated based on physical and chemical properties. The separated compounds are then transferred through an interface (4) into the MS unit. In the ion source (5), the compounds are ionized into charged particles. These ions are filtered by the quadrupole (6) based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z), and the selected ions are detected by the detector (7). Finally, the data system (8) processes the signals to produce a mass spectrum used for compound identification. (Agilent Technologies).

3.     Results and Discussion

GC-MS analysis of the fire debris yielded distinct chemical profiles consistent with the presence of alcohol-based accelerants. Samples labeled S.6 and S.9, taken from the melted engine components and metallic fragments, revealed high concentrations of ethanol, along with notable peaks of 1-butanol-3-methyl, acetic acid, 2,3-butanediol, and ammonium acetate. These compounds were also found in the alcoholic beverage samples. (Stauffer et al., 2007; Agilent Technologies)

Table 1. GC-MS Results of fire debris 

Following the analysis of the fire debris presented in Table 1, the presence of compounds associated with alcoholic beverages was identified in several tested samples. Further investigation revealed that these compounds matched those commonly found in traditional Indonesian alcoholic drinks that are frequently consumed in the vicinity of the fire scene. As a result, several samples of these local beverages were included for further testing and comparison.

The testing was conducted on five types of traditional alcoholic beverages from the area, selected based on their popularity and high consumption among the local community. The beverages tested include:

The test results of the five types of alcoholic beverages revealed the presence of key compounds or components that serve as characteristic markers of these drinks. This conclusion was drawn based on the consistent detection of these compounds in three different samples, making them representative of the alcoholic beverages tested. The identified compounds are as follows:

Table 2. Dominant Compounds in Alcoholic Beverages

Table 2 shows a number of compounds that have similarities across each sample. Additionally, it is also important to note the presence of certain compounds that are characteristic of each type of beverage, including:

Table 3. Characteristic Compounds of Each Alcoholic Beverage

Based on the test results of five alcoholic beverage samples produced in Indonesia — in other words, traditional local Indonesian alcoholic drinks — it was found that several dominant compounds consistently appeared in each sample. These common compounds can be seen in Table 2.

In addition, the analysis revealed the presence of certain unique compounds that can be considered the "chemical DNA" of each beverage, serving as identifying markers for each type of alcohol. With these findings as a foundation, the next step is to compare the fire debris samples collected from the fire scene with the five tested alcoholic beverage samples, in order to identify any potential correlations between them.

Table 4 Comparison of Compounds between Fire Debris and Alcoholic Beverages