Fire & Origin Cause Investigation With Forensics Education

Fire-pi is a Minnesota-based, veteran-owned/staffed forensic fire and explosion investigation firm. We identify the origin and cause. We employ a rigorous, ethical and effective approach based on 20 years of active forensic fire and explosion investigation, backed up by 20 years of fighting U.S. Navy ship fires and aircraft fires.

We are a family-owned business that has personally experienced loss and the insurance coverage process you are experiencing in our own home. We understand your sense of urgency and will respond to your request immediately.

Fire-pi will provide responsive, comprehensive forensic fire investigation based on the highest professional industry standards in the most expedient manner possible.

Lorne L. Brunner MS-Forensics, IAAI-CFI(v)

Founder | Principal | Owner

Court-certified, expert witness, and author of numerous research papers, Lorne is one of few certified fire investigators who hold an advanced education in forensics, as well as post-graduate studies in the law. His 20-year U.S. Navy career as a Chief Petty Officer called for his leadership and engagement in fighting Navy ship fires.

Lorne grew up in a police and fire-fighting family and, as a young man, personally saw investigations such as the 1980 MGM Grand Hotel Fire, which set the course for the field of forensic fire investigation.
2005: co-managed the family’s Las Vegas, NV-based fire investigation firm.
2012 - $2 million-plus bar/grill fire in South Dakota: Served as a lead forensic investigator and provided testimony in deposition and trial settings.

2015, a double-fatal apartment complex fire caused more than $5 million in damages, investigating the claim, collecting artifacts, and providing deposition testimony.
2019 Cameroon, Africa, a $600 million explosion destroyed the SONARA petrochemical refinery; Lorne led an international team of forensic investigators that identified the cause amidst military skirmish. Lorne’s 20-year USN career as a Navy Chief, with previous combat experience leading teams, some in Africa, acclimated him well to lead the team amidst this scenario.
2020, double-fatal farm dwelling explosion resulting in more than $5 million in successful subrogation.

Keith Rowan

CFEI

Fire-pi, Inc., welcomes Keith Rowan, BA-CFEI, as a fire and explosion investigator. Keith will generally work in the Grand Forks, ND, area, also servicing ND, SD and MT as well. Keith has worked as a law enforcement officer for 20 years for the Grand Forks Police Department, where he was involved in program development for community-based policing programs, including Problem-Oriented Policing and the K9 Unit. Over the next two decades, he worked as both a police officer and a firefighter for the City of Grand Forks, and as a police officer for the University of North Dakota. During his time with the city of Grand Forks, he has been an on shift criminal investigator and a fire investigator. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at Brandon University and has completed graduate coursework in criminal justice through Minot State University. He is an AHA BLS Instructor for CPR/First-Aid/AED. He has CFEI and IAAI-FIT certifications as a fire and explosives investigator. He, his wife, and two teenaged boys live in rural Grand Forks, ND.

Dawn Fish

Chief Operations Officer

Dawn (Mrs. Brunner) has worked in corporate and nonprofit management, marketing, communications, and major gift fundraising for 30-plus years, including the executive leadership of a national nonprofit and a private family foundation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Metropolitan State University, a master’s degree in organizational leadership from St. Catherine’s University, and a master’s degree in legal studies from Purdue University Global. Dawn has been instrumental in the start-up of Fire-pi, developing its brand identity and launch.