Page:Report of the Board of Inquiry into the Helderberg air disaster.djvu/89

Rh 1.16.5 Numerous specimens of aeroplane parts and articles from the passenger cabin and main deck cargo compartment were examined by an independent scientific institution in order to identify certain objects and materials, to determine temperature ranges at certain positions, to determine melting points of heat damaged components and to search for evidence which could be used to establish a probable cause of the fire which started in the main deck cargo compartment. The most significant findings can be summarised as follows:

(1) The metal buckle of a carry-on bag had melted at one end. The melting point of the metal was found to be 327°C. The assumed owner of the bag had been allocated seat No 42B in the rear-most row.

(2) The temperature in the main deck cargo compartment had ranged from 240°C at the rear end to 600°C at the partition between the cargo and passenger compartments. Tests on portions of the aircraft structure which were recovered indicated that