Fire Investigation & Engineering
Providing the highest quality analysis to the investigation of fires, explosions, and related forensic engineering problems.
Providing the highest quality analysis to the investigation of fires, explosions, and related forensic engineering problems.
At Unmatched, we bring fire science and engineering backgrounds to fire scene investigations in order to better understand the complex issues and underlying scientific principles. With a greater understanding and focus on making quality a priority, we strive to provide our clients with more information so they can make the best strategic decisions in negotiations, litigation, and business.
Engineering principles related to thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and electricity play a critical role in reliably determining a fire cause — without these skill sets, an engineering expert is often required in addition to the fire investigator.
Additional analytical tools are available to the fire investigator with an engineering background — mathematical calculations, computer modeling, and experimentation can be used to thoroughly examine complex problems, including heat transfer, ignition, smoke & flame spread, smoke alarm activation times, flame heights, as well as fire protection system & life safety systems.
Fire & Explosion Investigation
Scientific Fire Analysis
Fire Modeling
Fire Protection Engineering
Codes & Standards Analysis
Litigation Support
Training & Presentations
Fire Hazard & Risk Assessment
About Us
President / Fire Protection Engineer
Lee McCarthy is a licensed, professional engineer and a certified fire investigator with experience in fire and explosion investigation, fire protection engineering, and fire science. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, Lee went on to earn an M.S. in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland, completing his thesis research on firefighter protective clothing with the Fire Fighting Technology Research Group at NIST. He has experience working with nationally recognized private fire protection and forensic engineering firms, as well as premier U.S. Government fire research facilities.
For four and a half years of his career, Lee had the unique opportunity to gain experience in fire research and investigation at the world's largest fire investigation research laboratory, ATF’s Fire Research Laboratory, including a term on ATF’s National Response Team responding to major fires throughout the United States — investigations significant for their scale and value of loss, including multi-million dollar losses and fires with multiple fatalities.
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