Opinion ID: 2260567
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: warrantless fire investigation

Text: Appellant first contends that the trial court erred in failing to suppress the fruits of the warrantless fire investigation. Appellant argues that the search of his home did not come within the fire investigation/exigent circumstances exception as explained by the United States Supreme Court in Michigan v. Tyler, 436 U.S. 499, 98 S.Ct. 1942, 56 L.Ed.2d 486 (1978) and Michigan v. Clifford, 464 U.S. 287, 104 S.Ct. 641, 78 L.Ed.2d 477 (1984). Appellant argues that the search was for the purpose of gathering evidence and that no exigency justified Officer Egan's failure to get a warrant before continuing his search after he returned from the hospital. Appellant misconstrues Tyler, Clifford, and their progeny.
Fourth Amendment proscriptions apply only when the conduct challenged violates an actual expectation of privacy which society is prepared to accept as reasonable. See California v. Greenwood, 486 U.S. ___, ___, 108 S.Ct. 1625, 1628, 100 L.Ed.2d 30, 36 (1988) (collecting cases). Though the Fourth Amendment protects people rather than places, the determination of whether an actual and reasonable expectation of privacy existed usually requires some reference to place. Katz v. United States, 389 U.S. 347, 351, 88 S.Ct. 507, 511, 19 L.Ed.2d 576, 582 (1967); id., 389 U.S. at 361, 88 S.Ct. at 516, 19 L.Ed.2d at 587 (Harlan, J., concurring). Undeniably, one of the primary sources of a reasonable expectation of privacy is the right to exclude trespassers which attaches to private property. See Rakas v. Illinois, 439 U.S. 128, 142 n. 12, 99 S.Ct. 421, 430 n. 12, 58 L.Ed.2d 387, 401 n. 12 (1978). One's private residence is ordinarily a refuge wherein one's reasonable expectations of privacy are exceptionally strong. See Payton v. New York, 445 U.S. 573, 587-88, 100 S.Ct. 1371, 1380-81, 63 L.Ed.2d 639, 651-52 (1980). With regard to fire damaged property, the Supreme Court explained in Michigan v. Clifford, supra : `People may go on living in their homes or working in their offices after a fire. Even when that is impossible, private effects often remain on fire damaged premises.' Privacy expectations will vary with the type of property, the amount of fire damage, the prior and continued use of the property, and in some cases, the owner's efforts to secure it against intruders. Some fires may be so devastating that no reasonable privacy expectation remains in the ash and ruins, regardless of the owner's subjective expectations. The test essentially is an objective one: whether `the expectation is one that society is prepared to recognize as reasonable.' If reasonable privacy interests remain in the fire damaged property, the warrant requirement applies, and any official entry must be made pursuant to a warrant in the absence of consent or exigent circumstances. 464 U.S. at 292-93, 104 S.Ct. at 646, 78 L.Ed.2d at 483. (Citations omitted, emphasis added). See e.g. State v. Carey, 42 Wash.App. 840, 714 P.2d 708 (1986) (no reasonable expectation of privacy under the totality of the circumstances); People v. Zeisler, 125 Ill.App.3d 558, 80 Ill.Dec. 736, 465 N.E.2d 1373 (1984) (no reasonable expectation of privacy under the totality of circumstances); People v. Superior Court, 141 Cal.Rptr. 562, 74 Cal.App.3d 488 (1977) (defendant/trespasser had no reasonable expectation of privacy); State v. Felger, 19 Or.App. 39, 526 P.2d 611 (1974) (tenant had no reasonable expectation of privacy in apartment abandoned after the fire). In the instant case, the degree of fire damage to appellant's private residence was not such as to eliminate any reasonable expectation of privacy. The majority of the damage was confined to the kitchen area. Though appellant had not taken steps to secure the property by the time the challenged search occurred, this does not establish an abandonment of the property or privacy expectations. Appellant was at the hospital receiving emergency treatment of burns received in the fire during the relevant time period. Under the standard set forth in Michigan v. Clifford, supra , appellant retained reasonable privacy expectations in the fire damaged property.
The original entry of Officer Egan, Fire Chief Lauro and the fire fighters was plainly justified by exigent circumstances: A burning building clearly presents an exigency of sufficient proportions to render a warrantless entry `reasonable.' Indeed, it would defy reason to suppose that fireman must secure a warrant or consent before entering a burning structure to put out the blaze. Michigan v. Tyler, 436 U.S. at 509, 98 S.Ct. at 1950, 56 L.Ed.2d at 498. The exigency which justified their original entry did not terminate when the flames were extinguished: Fire officials are charged not only with extinguishing fires, but with finding their causes. Prompt determination of the fire's origin may be necessary to prevent its recurrence, as through the detection of continuing dangers such as faulty wires or a defective furnace. Immediate investigation may also be necessary to preserve evidence from intentional or accidental destruction. And, of course, the sooner officials complete their duties, the less will be their subsequent interference with the privacy and recovery efforts of the victims. For these reasons, officials need no warrant to remain in a building for a reasonable time to investigate the cause of the blaze after it has been extinguished. Michigan v. Tyler, 436 U.S. at 510, 98 S.Ct. at 1950, 56 L.Ed.2d at 498-99. (Emphasis added). See also Commonwealth v. Smith, 511 Pa. 36, 50-52, 511 A.2d 796, 803 (1986) (Larsen, J., concurring; Hutchinson, J., joins). Appellant argues that the right to remain at a fire scene for a reasonable time does not justify the instant search because: Officer Egan left the scene to interview appellant at the hospital and then returned; Fire Marshal Lucas was called to the scene after the fire had been extinguished; and, the focus of the investigation had shifted from determining the cause of the fire to discovery and preserving evidence of arson. Appellant construes Tyler and Clifford too rigidly. In Michigan v. Tyler, supra , the Supreme Court explained: The circumstances of particular fires and the role of firemen and investigating officials will vary widely . . . In determining what constitutes a `reasonable time to investigate,' appropriate recognition must be given to the exigencies that confront officials serving under these conditions, as well as to the individual's reasonable expectations of privacy. 436 U.S. at 511 n. 6, 98 S.Ct. at 1950 n. 6, 56 L.Ed.2d at 499 n. 6. Cf. United States v. Sharpe, 470 U.S. 675, 686, 105 S.Ct. 1568, 1575-76, 84 L.Ed.2d 605, 615-16 (1985) (the reasonableness of an investigative detention must be judged based upon reasonableness of steps taken to confirm or dispel suspicions; courts must consider the fact that events develop swiftly and should avoid unrealistic second guessing). Here, Officer Egan began his fire investigation by confirming the firemen's reports of a strong odor of gasoline, and then continued it by going to the nearby hospital to interview the two persons believed to have been injured in the fire. Though perhaps unusual, we cannot say that Officer Egan's investigative priorities were unreasonable. When such witnesses are available, it is possible that information provided by such witnesses may help focus the investigative efforts and thereby reduce the duration of the official intrusion upon legitimate privacy interests. Officer Egan's interview of appellant and the other person injured in the fire, though removed from the scene of the fire, was nonetheless a logical and reasonable facet of the fire investigation. Cf. Commonwealth v. White, 358 Pa.Super. 120, 131-32, 516 A.2d 1211, 1215-16 (1986) (it was reasonable for one police officer to detain the suspects in the patrol car while another police officer went a short distance to the scene of a suspected burglary to confirm or dispel the officers' reasonable suspicions). Appellant's focus on the comings and goings of individual officials from the fire scene is misplaced. In Michigan v. Clifford, supra , the Supreme Court held that a warrant, consent, or a further exigency was only required for an additional investigation begun after the fire has been extinguished and fire and police officials have left the scene.  464 U.S. at 293, 104 S.Ct. at 647, 78 L.Ed.2d at 484. (Emphasis added). The focus is whether the official presence was continuous and whether the duration of the search was reasonable, not whether particular individuals were continuously present at the scene of the fire. Here, Officer Egan and Fire Marshal Lucas began the challenged search while fire fighters were still at the scene of the fire conducting standard overhaul activities. The entire fire investigation lasted approximately three hours. We find that the facts of this case do not trigger application of the three prong test for continuation searches set forth in Michigan v. Clifford, supra , and applied by our Supreme Court in Commonwealth v. Smith, supra . The challenged search commenced before the official presence at the fire scene had terminated; as the duration of that presence was not unreasonable, we do not read Tyler, Clifford, or Smith to require further analysis. In light of the foregoing, we find no reason to disturb the trial court's ruling that the warrantless investigation was reasonable under the standards set forth in Tyler and Clifford. [3]