Death or Physical Injuries

caused by Explosion
Dr. G. Villaret
Forensic Medicine
College of Law
University of San Agustin
Feb 2005
Classification of explosion as to the source
of energy:
Mechanical (Hydraulic ) explosion
Spray canister, water tank, kerosene burner
Electrical explosion
Arcing of electricity, lightning
Nuclear explosion
Atomic explosion
Chemical explosion
Brought about by chemical explosion

Chemical explosion:
Diffused reactant explosion
Condensed reactant explosion
Low order explosives
High order explosives
Stable high order explosives
Unstable high order explosives
Injuries are due to:
Close contact: complete disintegration or
fragmentation of the body parts
Near the explosion: body in one piece but some
parts maybe dismembered. Triad of punctate
bruises, abrasions and lacerations are found
At a distant: peppering
Blast wave:airway injury, rupture of tympanic
membrane
Burns: flame or heated gas
Asphyxia: lack of oxygen
Gas poisoning
Falling debris

Investigation:
Presence of crater
Traces of detonation mechanism;
residues
Collection of gas
Scrapings
Color spot tests
Atomic bomb explosion:
Fission of uranium producing
millions of pounds of gas pressure.
Creates fireball with a diameter of
7,200 feet in ten seconds and height
of 4 miles
Emits radiation: alpha, beta, gamma
and neutron rays
Effects of atomic explosion in the
body:
Local effects: chromosomal
aberrations, radiation
dermatitis,endothelial necrosis and
thrombosis, cataract and sterility
General effects: generalized
erythema, coma and death,
vomiting and leukemia, leukopenia
Long term effects: cancer

Other sources of radiation:
Natural source
Cosmic
Terrestial origin
Man-made source
Diagnostic x-ray equipment
Clinical nuclear pharmaceutical agent
Therapeutic radiation apparatus
Nuclear power plants
Thermal Injuries and
Death
Thermal Injuries:
Death or injury from cold
Systemic: death due to cerebral anoxia and
cold stiffening
Local effects: frostbite, immersion foot, trench
foot
Medico-legal implications
Death or injury from heat
Systemic effects:heat cramps, heat
exhaustion, heat stroke
Local effects: Burns / scald
Medico-legal implications
Burns:
Moist heat
Scalding
geographical lesions
Clothings and hair are not burned
Blisters are formed with redness around
Usually not fatal; death is due to sepsis
Dry heat
Thermal
Chemical
Electrical
Radiation
Friction

Burns:
Characteristics:
From redness to carbonization of the body
Singeing of hair and carbon deposits
Areas involved are without demarcation line.
Classifications:
1
st
degree: sunburn
2
nd
degree: vesicle formation; superficial skin
3
rd
degree:whole layer of the skin
4
th
degree:whole layer of skin and the
subcutaneous tissues
5
th
degree: muscles
Purpose of intentional fire:
To conceal identity and true cause and manner
of death.
To kill or with homicidal intent (torch murder).
The victims might have committed suicide by
other means and try to hide the cause and
manner of death by setting fire on the
surroundings.
To perpetuate insurance fraud both property and
life.
Victim might have been trapped in the building
set afire accidentally or intentionally
A person in pursuance of a cause may soak
himself with an inflammable substance and burn
himself to death.
Burns:
Cause of death in burns:
Immediate: shock, associated physical
injuries, suffocation
Delayed: shock, exhaustion, complications-
sepsis, multi-organ failure
Time required to completely burn the
body:
Depends on: intensity of heat applied,
duration, physical condition, and presence of
clothing
In incinerator: 4 hours to transform the body
to ashes.

Burns:
Proof that the victim was alive before
burned to death:
Presence of smoke in the air passages.
Increase carboxy-hemoglobin blood level.
Dermal erythema, edema and vesicle
formation.
Subendocardial left ventricular hemorrhage.
Distinction between ante-mortem and
post-mortem burns
Investigation:
Determine the following:
Establish the identity: clothing, size of
footwear, properties in the pockets, physical
characteristics, scars
Whether the person was alive in the fire.
Cause of death.
Information indicating a possible cause of fire
Medico-legal aspect of burns and scald
Branding
Torture
Accidental
Spontaneous combustibility
Preternatural combustibility
Others:
Chemical burns:
Sulphuric acid
Nitric acid
Hydrochloric acid
Caustic soda
Electrical burns:
Contact burn
Spark burn
Flash burn
Radiation burns





Physical Injuries or Death
by Lightning and
Electricity
Lightning and electricity:
Electricity:
Domestic lines: 100-250 volts
Lightning:
It is an electrical charge in the
atmosphere.
1,000 million volts and about 2,000
amperes.
Lightning:
A. Elements of lightning that produce
injury:
1. Direct effect from the electrical charge
2. Surface flash burns
3. Mechanical effect
4. Compression effect
B. Points to consider:
1. History of thunderstorm
2. Evidences in the surrounding
3. Absence of other wounds and other injuries
Lightning:
Classes of burns:
Surface burns
Linear burns
Arborescent or filigree burns
Medico-legal aspect:
Eliminate the possibility of a felonious
act of another person
Electrical shock:
Mechanism of death:
Ventricular fibrillation
Respiratory failure
Mechanical asphyxia
Factors that influence the effect of electrical
shock:
Personal idiosyncracy
Disease (cardiac)
Sleep
Electrical voltage, amperage, density of
current, nature of the current
Resistance of the body, duration of contact
Point of entry
Earthing