The Pattern of Skin Burns in Gas Explosions: A short Report

Determining the cause of thermal injuries is one of the first and foremost questions in forensic medicine. The morphology of cutaneous burns is preserved so the thermic injuries can tell a history for reconstruction of the events. We studied the skin burning patterns in explosions. This is a cross- sectional study that a total of 339 burnt patients hospitalized in the Motahari hospital، Tehran in 2011 were investigated. Results were presented as descriptive statistics (total، percentage، mean and standard deviation). In explosions، during a reflex action the victims close their eyes and contract their face and neck so، a dark coloration from soot and dirt tattooing were frequently presented but the skin wrinkles of face، eyes corners and neck were spared. With t his pattern in burn patients، with high confidence can realize the gas explosion or flammable vapors is the cause of burning. In evaluation of burned bodies، this pattern can prove the person was alive during the incident in addition to determining the cause of burn.