The State Fire Marshal and the chief of the fire department of every city or village in which a fire department is established, and the mayor of every incorporated village or town in which no fire department exists, and the sheriff of the county shall investigate the cause, origin and circumstances of every fire occurring in such city, village, town or county by which property has been destroyed or damaged, and shall especially make investigation as to whether such fire was the result of carelessness or design. Said investigation shall begin within two (2) days, not including Sundays, of the occurrence of such fire, and the said Fire Marshal shall have the right to supervise and direct such investigation whenever he deems it necessary or expedient. The officer making the investigation of fires, shall forthwith notify said Fire Marshal and shall within a week of the occurrence of the fire furnish to the said Fire Marshal a written statement of all facts relating to the cause and origin of the fire, and such other information as may be called for by blanks provided by said Marshal. The State Fire Marshal shall keep in his office a record of all fires occurring in the state, together with all facts, statistics and circumstances including the origin of the fires, which may be determined by the investigation provided by this act; such records shall at all times be open to the public inspection, and such portions of it as the insurance commissioner may deem necessary shall be transcribed and forwarded to him within fifteen (15) days from the 1st day of January of each year.
Laws 1910-11, c. 46, p. 115, § 4.