Watson is one of the London Fire Brigade's (LFB) Fire Dogs. His super-sensitive nose can identify more than 10 ignitable substances such as flammable liquids, even after a fire, for his handler Darren Woodhams.
Watson's speedy work helps establish if an flammable liquid might have been used to start or accelerate a fire.
This not only helps investigators identify a potential crime scene, but also the police, in bringing arsonists to justice.
If nothing is found, then the investigator can focus on other sources of ignition that may have started the fire. LFB investigators are known across the world for their investigative work which includes fires caused by white goods and other defective, unsafe products.
In May this year, Science Daily reported: "Dogs can detect traces of gasoline down to one billionth of a teaspoon," commenting,"their noses are incredibly sensitive".
Working dogs help us in our day-to-day lives and are renowned for their sensitive noses. Reports say they can even detect coronavirus infections with remarkable accuracy.
Firefighters in Corsica, France are aiming to teach canines to sniff out coronavirus.
Here in the UK, Medical Detection Dogs research highlights: "A dog's incredible sense of smell is thanks to the complex structure of its nose, which contains over 300 million scent receptors, compared to five million in a human, which means they have an incredible ability to detect odours and are the best biosensors known to man."
Leigh Day is proud to sponsor Watson and his handler, Station
Officer Darren Woodhams in the work they do.
To find out more about the LFB's fire investigation dogs
follow this link.
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