NFPA (2001 Edition) 9.3.6 covers Spoliation of Evidence.
Specifically, 188.8.131.52 reads as follows: “Once evidence has
been removed from the scene, it should be maintained and not be
destroyed or altered until others who have a reasonable interest
in the matter have been notified. Any destructive testing or
destructive examination of the evidence that may be necessary
should occur only after all reasonably known parties have been
notified in advance and given the opportunity to participate in
or observe the testing.” It would seem painfully obvious the
very engineers and investigators that are tasked to determine
the cause of collapse would be “reasonably known parties” and
would find it very helpful to “participate in or observe the
testing” in order to aid in their investigation. Since when do
we destroy evidence before we identify the cause of collapse? We
don’t solve crimes, or get safer buildings by destroying
evidence, and then hypothesize the cause. There is nowhere in
the NFPA guidelines, or any inv