Forensic investigation of deaths due to fire in mass disaster

When a body is recovered from a fire site, it is essential to determine if death occurred before or after the fire started. Foul play is suspected when there is an alternative cause of death not due to the fire. In cases of mass disaster due to fire, the forensic pathologist has an additional task of identifying the bodies. This is important in medico-legal investigations. The severity of the burnt injuries sustained may be useful in the reconstruction of the incidence. Examples will be given in this paper on the identification of the burnt victims and the forensic investigations on death by fire in mass disasters.