This page presents an explanation of each event block derived from the Brown Witness Statement. The numbers correspond to those used in the mark-ups. Compare your thinking with the thinking expressed in these explanations. The reasoning is generally transferable to any event blocks acquired from people during investigations.

EB l This infers that Brown went to the shapeup. To convert this inference into an event, restate it in the active voice: 'B went to shape-up..'

EB 2 This infers both that someone (?) instructed B to go to pier. Format as '? told B to go to pier. ' When you are dealing with exchanges between people where misunderstandings might have occurred, sometimes you may need to show both the transmitter and receiver actions. For example, ? told B to go to the pier, and then B heard ? tell him to go to the pier.

EB 3 Record as reported: 'B went to pier .'

EB 4 Note signal word 'and': B reported two actions in same sentence, EB 3 and 'B went to supers office.'

EB 5 Similar to 2 above; Brown's report of talk about jobs doesn't identify who he talked with about jobs; state as 'B talked about jobs for day with ?' and get more info if important. Don't rely on assumption it was Super; someday it could be very important

EB 6 This one is subtle. 'A little later' infers that something happened between EB 5 and B's next reported location in the doorway of leanto. To convert this into an event so it isn't lost for the analysis, it should be recorded. 'B went from office to ? ' This creates another gap in your mental movie.

EB 7 Another inferred event 'B went from ? to the leanto doorway. ' Note that there is nothing wrong with the use of ? to indicate uncertainty. The uncertainty can be removed during a follow-up interview later in the investigation.

EB 8 B reports 'taking chill off face' but note the signal word after which places this event before EB 7 in time. Therefore, EB 8 will have to be displayed to the left of EB 7 (earlier in time) when the events are put into sequence on the INVESTIGATION CATALYST Matrix.

EB 8A Another signal word (and) so watch out. When did he see the truck? After he took the chill off and after he was in the doorway? It isn't clear, is it? Do you have enough data to make a mental movie of B's action during this interval of time? If not, you may have to ask the witness what he did. The event is 'B saw truck headed down pier toward him ' EB would be 'truck headed down pier ' Note: watch assumptions! B did not say it was moving! The words are ambiguous, so they will have to be clarified.

EB 9 Another inferred event: B saw the truck stop, assuming 'he' refers to truck. Check it. If you are doing EBs, driver stopped truck could be inferred.

EB 10 Refer to pier layout again. The statement implies that the truck was observed by B to be backing up to the storage tank, yet the last observation placed the truck moving toward the shack. Convert to ' B saw truck start backing up,' and save the question for the witness later. The alternative EB would be driver started backing up truck to storage tank.

EB 11, 12 'I seen' is what B did. 'Smoke rolled out from under truck' is what the observed object did. For EB, restate observation: 'White smoke rolled out from under truck' with B as the source. Note how action is stated (11,12)

EB 13 Signal word again: 'B saw (smoke) start rolling toward him' In addition to ?, you may wish to use parentheses to indicate data that is not certain or verified. EB would be 'smoke started rolling toward B .'

EB 14 Inferred observation again. B's statement infers that he saw fire, which was probably the "smoke" rolling toward him. Don't assume: ask! 'B ? big fire ' or ' B (saw) (smoke ignite )' EB would be ' ? ignited smoke' But confirm these inferences!

EB 15 Same with explosion ' B (saw) explosion that knocked B down ' Careful inquiry can often lead to a better record of the behavior of things in accidents! EB would be 'explosion knocked B down .'

EB 16 A straightforward report of an action: B got up.

EB 17 Another signal word. 'B helped some guys(?) try to put out the fire ' This one is loaded with more potential information. Who were the guys? What did he mean by 'try to put out the fire?' This can lead to more witnesses, clearer understanding of what they did. Pursue it!

EB 18 Another inferred observation. 'B (saw) giant explosion' next Exactly what did he observe something do? EB would be '? exploded"

EB 19 Careful. The explosion lit up the sky. This is not a B action, and you are tracing B. 'B saw sky light up bright orange. ' Otherwise '? lit up the sky bright orange.'

EB 20 B thought the sky was burning. What did he observe? The' looked like' signals B's conclusion about what he saw. Remember, you must separate observations from conclusions drawn from the observers observations if you are going to be a good investigator Find out what he saw.

EB 21 'Somebody came' again infers an action by someone else, rather than B, so it will have to go on some other line on the matrix when you find out who it was, if this become significant to the accident mechanism later on.

EB 22 'B got up with help ' or EB '? helped B get up ' Nothing subtle here.

EB 23 'Somebody walked B. ' Implies 'B walked to car ' (See 25 ) EB 25: 'B got into car ' Note so did someone else (we). Who we? EB would be '? walked B to car' and '? got into car with B .'

EB 24 'Walked me past . . . ' infers that B saw some injured firemen. Who, where, etc. ? 'B saw injured firemen ' EB would be '? Injured firemen.' Also infers that '? walked past injured firemen.'

EB 25 'B got into car' NOTE: so did someone else! Who? Possible Witness? EB '? got into car ' Signal word and means another action: '? (they) took B to the hospital .'

EB 26 Something (?) impinged on clothing to 'stick it to B ' Pursue for injury reduction or control 'Clothing stuck to B .'

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