Madden Accident Analysis, Investigation, Reconstruction - Hazardous Combustion, Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning
Detailed Curriculum Vitae / Resume'
Summary Curriculum Vitae / Resume'
Phone: (440) 838-0640
Work in this area generally covers: 
  • determining the cause(s) of the explosion or release of carbon monoxide containing gases in an occupied area
  •        MAAFE
  • determining whether equipment, equipment controls and/or combustion and HVAC* systems:
  • in design
  • in manufacture 
  • in installation 
  • were defective in regard to safety:
  • lacked adequate safeguards and warnings
  • conformed to appropriate accepted engineering safety practices, standards and regulations, including     fired-equipment codes and general fire codes
  • gas-fired residential furnaces and heat circulation systems involved in carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings
  • wood-burning residential furnaces and heat circulation systems involved in CO poisonings
  • space heaters involved in carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings
  • trash-burning incinerators in multi-story buildings involved in explosions
  • residential furnaces involved in explosions 
  • gas-fired industrial furnace/boilers used in manufacturing processes involved in explosion
  • single family residences involved in carbon monoxide poisonings
  • single family residences involved in furnace explosions
  • duplex residence involved in carbon monoxide poisoning (from adjoining unit)
  • mid-rise apartment buildings involved in incinerator explosions
  • industrial facilities involved in furnace/boiler explosion   
* heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems
Work in this area also generally includes determining whether revision of the combustion equipment, combustion system, or associated facilities was required for safety, either to prevent explosion or to prevent the release of combustion products that could lead to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Reconstruction of accidents involving combustion equipment and systems, including instrumentation and controls, determines whether such equipment and/or systems caused or contributed to the accident.  
  • determining whether safety equipment, facilities and procedures were in place and were properly used 
  Examples of Analyzed Facilities involved in Hazardous Combustion, including CO poisoning
                         see examples of analyzed equipment and analyzed systems in previous section above
  Examples of Analyzed Equipment and Analyzed Systems involved in Hazardous Combustion,
     including Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning   ● see examples of analyzed facilities in next section below
  Our Engineering Analysis of Hazardous Combustion in Equipment using Controlled
     Fire, resulting in explosion or in hazardous flue discharges leading to CO poisoning
Our Engineering Analyses of Hazardous Combustion in Equipment designed for Controlled Fire include, as appropriate, investigation, engineering analysis and reconstruction of the fire and explosion or the carbon monoxide incident.
  click on underlined words to use links - if no word is underlined try hovering the mouse over words to see underlines
  Experience and Qualifications of James D. Madden, P.E. in regard to Hazardous Combustion 
     ▪ including  equipment explosions, and furnace flue and HVAC malfunctions and other 
       equipment operations causing CO (carbon monoxide) poisoning and death
took 4 college courses in physics and 8 college courses in chemistry, including coverage of the physics and chemical reactions associated with fires and explosions
  
  Completed the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) courses on fire and explosion
  during 17 years working in industrial operations and design engineering: 
  • designed combustion equipment including furnaces, boilers, and heaters, and their associated  instrumentation  and auxiliary equipment
  • designed for the use of fire in unusual ways, including designing elevated flares and burn pits 
  • designed to prevent and suppress fire, including designing fire-fighting and fire and explosion suppression systems 
  attended engineering seminars presented by the National Academy of Forensic Engineers
regularly attend additional technical courses and seminars each year to meet the requirements for continuing engineering education for the Professional Engineer's license
  over 45 years of engineering experience, with: 
  17 years experience in industrial operations, engineering design and construction assistance 
  over 30 years experience in forensic engineering, including:  
  working on over 1100 cases
  issuing over 700 reports and over 70 affidavits
  testifying in over 100 depositions and over 90 trials
over 45 incidents involving fires, explosion and/or hazardous combustion have been investigated, analyzed and reconstructed as part of the forensic engineering work during over the last 30 years, including heater, boiler and furnace fires and explosions 
  
earned 2 Engineering degrees, Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering, and took additional post-degree coursework, with coursework in physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering mechanics, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering and normal psychology
at the start of forensic work, completed refresher and additional post-degree college credit coursework and continuing education coursework in mechanical engineering, metallurgy and materials
earned the Professional Engineers license (P.E.) by taking the National Council of Engineering Examiners' (NCEE) examination in Fundamentals of Engineering and the Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering sections of the NCEE examination in Principles and Practices of Engineering
designated a Diplomate Forensic Engineer by the National Academy of Forensic Engineers in accordance with the standards of the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB)
  
  
  
  
  
<< click for a description of the typical activities and work performed
<< click for examples of Equipment and Systems analyzed
<< click for examples of Facilities analyzed
Combustion equipment is equipment designed to burn fossil fuel. Combustion equipment includes furnaces, boilers, incinerators, space heaters, electrical generators, grills, etc. Our work in this area includes reconstructing the incident and performing engineering analyses to determine the causes of the explosion or the escape and delivery of combustion products, and to determine whether these causes relate to the equipment installation, including auxiliary equipment and controls. Our work also includes engineering analysis to determine whether the facilities and/or equipment met requirements for safe installation and operation, including use of safeguards and warnings as required, and to determine whether the installation adhered to safety design requirements and applicable codes, standards and recommended practices. Our analysis includes analysis of the actions of persons interacting with the combustion and auxiliary equipment, including the flue and HVAC system, as these may relate to the explosion or escape and delivery of carbon monoxide to an occupied area.  
Our Work with Combustion Hazards, including Carbon Monoxide ("CO") production and escape leading to poisoning or death - covers combustion equipment and combustion equipment auxiliaries and control systems which create or allow explosion of the equipment, and combustion equipment, combustion equipment auxiliaries and control systems, and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems which allow the escape of combustion products into occupied areas and assist in the delivery of combustion products to occupied areas. Explosion of combustion equipment is often caused by inadequately controlled combustion often attributable to auxiliary components and/or instrumentation. The release of hazardous combustion products into an occupied area, which can cause CO (carbon monoxide) poisoning, is often caused by auxiliary combustion equipment components such as the flue or control system and instrumentation, often with delivery of the CO to an occupied area aided by the HVAC system. Also inappropriate use of combustion equipment, for example, as simple as using a charcoal grill for heating within a house, or putting a fossil fuel burning emergency electrical backup unit in an attached garage, can also lead to carbon monoxide poisoning without any malfunction of the combustion items.
Hazardous Combustion & Carbon Monoxide - Table of Contents 
                                                                                   - links to content on this page
Consultation is available before starting a case. We invite you to
consult with us. There is no charge for an initial phone consultation.
Call us, or if you prefer we can schedule the consultation in advance.
Consultation with James D. Madden, PE, a Professional Engineer, and Forensic
Engineering Consulting and Testifying Expert Witness, is available to the client at all
times during the work - before, during, and after the investigation,
engineering analysis, reconstruction, report, and any other work on the case.
Phone: (440) 838-0640
Download a Summary or Detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) / Resume' for James D. Madden, P.E.,
email us, and bookmark this website. 
  Qualifications of James D. Madden, P.E., Senior Forensic Engineer
  Downloads and Links -  Curriculum Vitae, Email and Bookmark
Summary Curriculum Vitae / Resume'
Detailed Curriculum Vitae / Resume'
For mailing addressphonefax and email address click a button below the Fee Schedule section.
Contact us by phone, fax, mail or email for a copy of the Fee Schedule for charges for engineering
and consulting services and testimony.  Click a button below for contact information.
  Contact information
  Fee Schedule
Phone: (440) 838-0640
Over the last 30 years we have regularly worked on accidents which occurred in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York and nearby, including inspections of accident sites, equipment, and facilities, with reports and testimony. During these 30 years we have also worked on accidents which occurred in other states, and equipment and facilities located in other states, with inspections of accident sites, equipment, and facilities, from Utah and Kansas to Vermont and North Carolina, with reports and testimony for these accidents, when applicable.
  Geographic Area of Practice - North America 
Contact us to discuss your case by phone at NO CHARGE
This consultation can be scheduled in advance to meet your schedule.
  verbal reports, by telephone or in face-to-face conferences
We present the results of our investigations, engineering analyses and reconstructions in 
the client's choice of any, or all, of the following: 
  Presentation of results of our work
Our work investigating, analyzing and reconstructing accidents, and presenting the results, may include any 
or all of the following, depending on the needs of the case: 
  Our Typical Work Activities and Products, when warranted by the case
  written reports and affidavits
  deposition testimony, including video deposition
  trial testimony and arbitration testimony
James D. Madden, P.E., while performing Forensic Engineering work full-time for over 
the last 30 years, for both plaintiff and defendant, has to date:
  Forensic Engineering Work by Senior Forensic Engineer James D. Madden, P.E. 
  completed over 1100 cases
  written and issued over 700 reports                  
  testified in over 100 depositions
  written and issued over 70 affidavits
  testified in over 90 trials                               
See details of the pre-forensic work on the Employment Page and the Engineering Design Page.
See details of the forensic work throughout this website, and a summary on the Employment Page.
See more about qualifications of  James D. Madden, P.E. on the Qualifications Page.
For more on qualifications see the Qualifications Page<<< Click on the underlined text
The qualifications of James D. Madden, P.E., Senior Forensic Engineer, Consulting and Testifying
Forensic Engineer and Accident Reconstruction Engineer, are listed on the Qualifications Page and the Specialties Page.  (Specialties page is on another website in a separate browser tab)
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  Other Experience & Qualifications
  Curriculum Vitae, CV, Resume'
  Contact Us by Phone, Mail or Email 
  Consult, before and after assignment
  Our Forensic Engineering Work - number of  ● Cases  ● Reports  ● Affidavits  ● Testimonies  
  Engineering Analysis of Hazardous Combustion
  Qualifications in regard to Fires & Explosions 
  Our Typical Work Activities and Products
  Presentation of The Results of Our Work
  Fee Schedule Availability
  Geographic Area available for Work
  Links to Other Pages (left sidebars)
  Our Hazardous Combustion Work
  Examples of Facilities Analyzed
  Examples of Equipment Analyzed
  Examples of Systems Analyzed 
      click on the underlined squares and underlined words to link to the subjects
Also see Industrial and Equipment Fires and Explosions, on another website in a separate browser tab, with both websites available side by side.
^^^ click on buttons to go to other pages covering these subjects  ^^^
Analysis of ■ Combustion Equipment, ■ Equipment Controls, ■ Building Features, and ■ Associated Systems, including ■ HVAC, are used to determine causation of CO production, CO delivery, and CO escape associated with Carbon Monoxide poisoning or death, and to determine causation of unplanned and uncontrolled Fire and/or Explosion, by ■ Combustion Equipment, such as: ■ Heaters, ■ Residential Furnaces, and ■ Industrial and Commercial Furnaces and Furnace Systems. 
  inspection of the accident site, such as a roadway, outdoor facilities, building or industrial facilities
  interviewing witnesses (often during the inspection of the accident site, product and/or equipment)
coordinating or interfacing with others while they are preparing specialized exhibits such as video animations and videos of demonstrations
review and study of case documents, evidence and applicable codes, standards, regulations and recommended practices
  written reports and affidavits, and exhibits
drawings, calculations, graphical analyses, computer analyses, etc. as required to analyze and reconstruct the accident, and to present the engineering analysis and reconstruction
  testing accident items and exemplar items (such as consumer products)
  photography and/or video of the accident site and involved equipment
  testimony in deposition, trial and arbitration




inspection of the involved equipment, in current condition, including in damaged condition (such as crashed vehicles); and when available for operation, during operation (such as industrial equipment)
  
Hazardous Combustion
Hazardous Combustion
Hazardous Combustion

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Hazardous levels of Carbon Monoxide (CO) can be created by inappropriate use of Combustion Equipment, or by malfunctioning Combustion Equipment and/or related Systems, including HVAC (heating, ventilation & AC), with implications relating to equipment operation, equipment design and integrity, and CO hazard warnings.
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Detailed Curriculum Vitae / Resume'
Summary Curriculum Vitae / Resume'
Phone: (440) 838-0640
Phone: (440) 838-1191
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or printing
over 30 Years Investigating, Analyzing, Reconstructing & Testifying about Accidents
Contact us at  440-838-0640 or ▪ 440-832-9540 or  [email protected]
Forensic Engineering & Scientific Accident Reconstruction
* unplanned and uncontrolled
Links to Specialty Pages
Page Links 
Links to General Pages





Basic Forensic Specialties
Main Forensic Specialties
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Links to Websites which relate to (and include) Hazardous Combustion
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Senior Forensic Engineer
General Information
Madden Accident Analysis, Investigation, Reconstruction
MAAIR
Madden
Accident
Analysis,  
Investigation,
Reconstruction
MAAIR
Copyright 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 by Madden Accident Analysis, Investigation, Reconstruction, and by James D. Madden, P.E. All rights reserved.
This website contains photographs which are licensed with restrictions that prohibit downloading, reproduction, re-publication or re-transmission.
Madden Accident Analysis, Investigation, Reconstruction, through its Senior Forensic Engineer, James D. Madden, P.E., a licensed Professional Engineer, and Board Certified Diplomate Forensic Engineer, has performed Accident Investigations, Engineering Analyses and Accident Reconstructions routinely for accidents / incidents and cases located in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New York, in the technical areas which are noted in this website, as well as providing expert reports and testifying in court proceedings in these states in the capacity of an Expert Witness, including depositions, arbitrations and/or trials. Forensic Engineering work has also performed in, and/or for cases in, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, Vermont, Kansas and Utah, with testimony in deposition and court in West Virginia and Kansas.
Madden Accident Analysis, Investigation, Reconstruction, through its Senior Forensic Engineer, James D. Madden, P.E., a licensed Professional Engineer, and Board Certified Diplomate Forensic Engineer, has performed Accident Investigations, Engineering Analyses and Accident Reconstructions for accidents / incidents and cases in the metropolitan areas of Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Toledo, Warren, Youngstown, Mansfield, Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Lima, Findlay, Marietta and Steubenville, Ohio, as well elsewhere throughout Ohio, and the metropolitan areas of Pittsburgh and Erie, Pennsylvania, as well as elsewhere throughout western and central Pennsylvania, and the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Flint and Port Huron, Michigan, as well as elsewhere in southern Michigan, and the metropolitan areas of Buffalo and Syracuse, New York, as well as elsewhere in western and central New York state. In many of these areas James D. Madden, P.E. has provided expert reports and testified in the capacity of an Expert Witness in court proceedings, including depositions, arbitrations and/or trials.  
Latest updates to the overall document and activity counts (reports, affidavits, cases, trials, and depositions), and counts of the number of individual specialty cases reported in this website were completed 7/15/2020. The updates of the overall document and activity counts and the counts of the number of individual specialty cases for the period between 12/2007 and 7/15/2020 were based only on the documents produced, and thus are under-counts (i.e. cases without a report or affidavit were not included in the counts).
Madden Accident Analysis, Investigation, Reconstruction
1700 West Market Street, Suite 318, Akron, Ohio 44313
or contact us for our Cleveland Ohio address
phone: 440-838-0640 or 440-832-9540, fax: 440-838-1192
email address: [email protected]

Madden Accident Analysis, Investigation, Reconstruction, through its Senior Forensic Engineer James D. Madden, P.E., is available for Accident Investigations, Engineering Analyses, Accident Reconstructions, and testimony in depositions, hearings, arbitrations, and trials, for cases located throughout North America.