Some common occurrences have been observed in bodies that have been partially burned. Upon death the fingers of the victims tend to close into a loose fist that protects the palm and finger ridge detail. The fire's heat tends to cause the nonvascular, epidemal layer of skin to separate from the dermis, the layer containing blood vessels. Refrigeration of the victim at the morgue increases the separation between the two skin layers. The cremation of a body requires a constant heat of 950 degrees Celsius for 1 to 2 hours. The victim of a fire exposed to lower temperatures or for shorter durations apparently may not have extensive damage to friction ridge skin. With adequate equipment and the use of proper procedures, fire victims can often be identified through fingerprints. This article describes the step-by-step procedure for removing the palm and finger skin and preparing it for fingerprint inking. Steps are also presented for placing the palm and finger skin on cards for inking to record the palm and finger prints. 5 references and 10 figures