Only highly experienced professionals can perform the complex tasks of uncovering the origin and cause of a fire or explosion. By evaluating the circumstances surrounding what happened and why, VERTEX is able to provide our clients with the technical expertise needed for them to determine coverage in a timely manner, reduce claim costs, combat fraud, and ultimately achieve closure with a solid, court defensible understanding of events and outcomes.
Using a full service approach and in a manner consistent with the Scientific Method and guidelines of NFPA 921, our NFPA 1033 qualified experts apply the highest level of professional competence in their investigative skills and techniques. VERTEX provides evidence collection, chain of custody as well as incident reporting, providing our customers with solid and reliable determination of origin and cause that will withstand the challenges of litigation.
Through scientific analysis, VERTEX can quickly and accurately determine whether the root cause of the fire or explosion was due to an electrical or mechanical component, human error, natural events, or arson.
VERTEX experts assist the insurance client and litigator by having highly trained and qualified professionals conduct site investigations that can determine the potential existence of third party culpability. VERTEX experts are experienced in reporting, depositions, and court testimony regarding fire and explosion incidents.
Our experts are available to not only investigate the origin and cause of structure fires, but also fires that have taken place in motor vehicles, trucks, industrial equipment and marine vessels.
Origin & Cause Investigation of Fire at Auto Repair Shop
National Division Manager, Fire Investigation
Henry Stormer is the National Division Manager for VERTEX’s Fire Investigation Division. His primary responsibilities include management of origin and cause investigations nationwide for the insurance industry as well as conducting Cause and Origin investigations of fire and explosions. Mr. Stormer is a fire expert with over 30 years of experience investigating fires and explosions both in the public and private sectors. His fields of expertise include: fire and explosion investigations, origin and cause, subrogation, failure analysis, evidence collection and preservation, fire code analysis and research, crime scene investigations, and arson investigations.
June 19, 2019
The VERTEX Team from left to right: Bill Gibbons, Patty Plante, Jeff Koon’s ‘Popeye,’ Rachel MacPhee, Jaron Frieden, Sean Dinneen, Emily Walker. The VERTEX Team was an invited guest at the Encore Casino earlier this week to celebrate the opening of this grand resort to the public on June 23rd, 2019. Working alongside the great…
June 17, 2019
VERTEX is proud to be ranked #27 in ENR’s Top 100 Construction Management-for-Fee Firms. Companies are ranked based on total 2018 revenue in $ millions for construction-management or project/program-management services performed as a professional service for a fee. As reported by ENR, in the current hot industry market, third-party construction and program management firms also…
June 7, 2019
Join VERTEX Engineers, Construction Experts, and Environmental Scientists at Bisnow’s Denver State of the Market on Wednesday, June 26th at 7:30am. Get 20% off your registration with our discount code: VCSD20LHEO. What you’ll learn: 1. As Denver’s multifamily rents continue to increase, how will developers and the City of Denver approach the need for affordable…
June 3, 2019
Zweig Group recently announced their 2019 Best Firms to Work For Award and 2019 Hot Firms List. VERTEX is proud to be ranked on both lists. The 2019 Hot Firm List honors the fastest growing firms in the AEC, planning, environmental consulting, or related industry firm, based in the U.S. or Canada. Firms are ranked on…
May 9, 2019
Several of VERTEX’s team are in Austin, Texas today through Saturday, May 11th, speaking and training as part of the 2019 Fidelity & Surety Law Spring Conference (FSLC). The conference, Complex Construction Issues Facing the Performing Surety, has a heavy construction focus. The speakers include many of FSLC’s most distinguished professionals from companies, law firms,…
March 5, 2019
With the continued growth in litigation over the past several years, VERTEX has seen a steady increase in expert consulting work to support our clients. VERTEX has been retained to act on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants in regards to liability and damages. The main goal of expert consulting is to add value to the…
December 19, 2018
Here in New England, the winter weather is in full swing. With the cold weather comes the threat of home fires from heating sources. According to the US Fire Administration (USFA): 890 people die in winter home fires each year. $2 billion in property loss occurs each year from winter home fires. Winter home fires…
October 10, 2018
Each year, at the beginning of October, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) sponsors Fire Prevention Week; a campaign to raise awareness around fire safety and prevention. This year’s focus is “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere,” which is aimed at educating people about three basic but essential steps to take to reduce the likelihood…
July 3, 2018
Fireworks are synonymous with the celebration of Independence Day. It’s almost impossible to make it through the holiday without seeing some kind of fireworks display. But, even small fireworks can cause serious damage. Each July 4th, thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured while using consumer fireworks. Despite the dangers of fireworks, few…
April 11, 2018
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), over 500,000 people are treated each year for ladder related falls. Whether you use a ladder out in the field, in your workplace or at home, safety should always be your number one priority. At VERTEX, safety is part of our culture. We recently hosted…
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