There were more fatal fires in New York State than any other state last year.

When the flames are put out, the investigators go in and begin their work.

“You have to be prepared to walk in and see something you’ve never seen before at each one,” said Nick Quinn, deputy chief of fire investigation branch for the Office of Fire Prevention and Control.

Quinn, who has been an investigator for two years, said they train for the unknown.

“Firefighting and fire investigation is definitely a team sport, a very collaborative process. One of the important parts of our investigation is talking to those first people on scene from the fire department, first people in the public that are there, but also the first fire crews that go inside that building,” he said.

There is no set playbook for fire investigations. Among the questions they are looking to answer: Was something or someone in the home? Where did the fire start? How quickly did it spread?

Fire investigation is a forensic science and there is a three-week training program at the Academy of Fire Science at Montour Falls in the Finger Lakes, followed by 50 hours of field experience and annual certification.

Among safety reminders are to have smoke alarms in your home and make sure they are working; never leave candles unattended; keep flammable materials away from an open flame or heat source; don’t cook when you’re sleeping; and make sure any device that heats or cools your home is plugged directly into an outlet.

Learn about why Quinn says some newer homes have made these fires more challenging by watching the video of Chris Onorato’s story.