A Fire Investigation Involving Combustion of Carpet Material

Abstract

Headspace samples taken from a charred carpet recovered from a fire site and from pyrolyzed styrene-butadiene copolymer were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The results showed that all volatile components associated with the carpet samples could be accounted for by pyrolysis of styrene-butadiene rubber used in either foam underlays or latex carpet backing adhesives. No evidence for arson was found.