Canada’s Largest Forensic Engineering and Fire Investigation Firm
Origin and Cause is the leading provider of all major forensic investigation and engineering disciplines in Ottawa: Fire and explosion investigation, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, materials engineering, structural engineering and chemical engineering. We have been engaged by insurance companies, law firms, independent adjusters, manufacturers and corporate risk managers, completing more than 30,000 cases.
We are also leaders in forensic litigation, with involvement in over 1,500 legal cases across Canada, throughout the United States and around the world. Choose us and get the benefit of working with highly trained, extremely skilled professionals with years of hands-on experience.
Our reputation is built on our integrity and commitment to the facts.
Our Forensic Experts
A cross-disciplinary team of forensic engineers and fire investigators that has completed over 30,000 cases, helping clients discover the truth by determining the facts. We provide cross-disciplinary forensic engineering services across Canada, having been a trusted leader for over 25 years.
Peter Hamilton
Fire & Explosion Investigator and Atlantic Canada Manager
Designation: CFEI
Peter is a Certified Fire and Explosions Investigator (CFEI) and specializes in fire scene investigation. He is also a qualified expert in both general division and provincial division courts. His professional experience includes 20 years with the Toronto Police and eight years with the Office of the Fire Marshal. He has completed over 645 forensic fire scene investigations which have included fire fatalities, large losses, residential and commercial losses.
Meet Nabi Goudarzi
Forensic Structural Engineer
Designation: Ph.D., P.Eng.
Nabi specializes in the forensic structural investigation of buildings and the design of retrofitting schemes for damaged or under-designed structures. In the course of his career, Nabi has conducted structural assessments of existing steel, concrete, masonry and wood buildings under gravity loading, vibration and seismic forces. He has also designed steel and concrete structures, including high-rise residential and office towers, commercial retail units, and long-span steel trusses. Nabi holds a MSc. in Earthquake Engineering from Sharif University of Technology and a Ph.D. in Structural Engineering from the University of Alberta.
Meet Darren Keuhl
Drone Operator/Collision Reconstructionist
Designation: NA
Darren is a Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems Operator specializing in pre-loss and post-loss site inspections, field investigations and aerial scene mapping using Pix4D and Drone Deploy software. He is also a Level 3 Traffic Collision Investigator and a Level 4 Collision Reconstructionist with over 30 years of policing experience.
Meet Tristan Delorme
Forensic EIT
Designation: B.Sc, B.A.Sc, EIT
Tristan is a Forensic EIT with a dual degree in Electrical Engineering and Biomedical Science from the University of Ottawa. His professional experience includes conducting failure analyses and examinations. He has attended and assisted in over 41 fire investigations and 64 mechanical, electrical and metallurgical lab examinations.
Meet Jimmy Fata
Fire & Explosion Investigator
Designation: CFEI
Jimmy is a certified Fire and Explosion Investigator. His professional experience includes 22 years as a FireFighter with the Ottawa Fire Service and 10 years as a Fire Investigator with the Ottawa Fire Department, Fire Investigations Unit. He has performed over 200 investigations and assisted in a further 12 investigations with The Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office, three of which were fatal fires and one a large explosion. Jimmy has been accepted as an expert witness in Ontario Provincial and Civic court.
Rapid Response, Evidence-Based Opinion
Our qualified experts determine the facts of a case and provide evidence-based opinion. Meticulous field and lab work make all the difference to insurance claims and legal outcomes.We respond rapidly to incidents, ensuring quick site attendance and frequent updates to our clients.
Our Services
We provide services across all major forensic investigation and engineering disciplines. We are also leaders in forensic litigation, with involvement in over 1,500 legal cases across Canada, throughout the United States and around the world.
Commitment to the Facts
We guarantee unbiased opinions based on factual evidence determined through scientific methodology, examination and laboratory testing. Our qualified experts are trusted to determine the facts of a case and provide accurate, evidence-based opinions. Origin and Cause has built a reputation on our integrity and commitment to the facts.
Leadership Team
Mazen Habash
President
Art Beleda
Vice President Eastern Canada
Ryan Dobson
Vice President Western Canada
George Costandi
Director – National Sales and Marketing
Shauna Hall
Branch Manager
Vladimir Chlistovsky
Operations Manager - GTA
Peter Hamilton
Manager - Atlantic Canada
Steve Klimpel
Operations Manager – Northern and Eastern Ontario/Atlantic Canada
Matthew Obach
Manager - Manitoba & Saskatchewan
Said Ismail
Operations Manager – Ancaster
Adam Lohonyai
Structural Forensics Practice Lead
