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. e ~ 38-56 LA PORTE CODE DIVISION 2. FIRE MARSHAL. Sec. 38-56. Office created independent of other departments. The office of fire marshal is hereby created. The fire marshal shall report directly to the city manager. (Code 1970, ~ 10-15) Sec. 38-57. Appointment; qualifications. The fire marshal shall be appointed by the city manager. The fire marshal shall be properly qualified for the duties of his office and shall be a certified arson investigator and certified peace officer. . (Code 1970, ~ 10-16) Sec. 38-58. Duty to investigate f"l1"es. The fire marshal shall investigate the cause, orIgm and circumstances of every fire occurring within this city 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. (Code 1970, ~ 10-17) Sec. ~8-59. Taking of testimony gen~~ally. . The fire marshal, when in his opinion further investigation is necessary, shall take or cause to be taken the testimony, on oath, of all persons supposed to be cognizant of any facts or to have means of knowledge in relation to the matter under investigation, and shall cause such testimony to be reduced to writing. (Code 1970, ~ 10-18) Sec. 38-60. Authority to summon witnesses, administer oaths and compel produc- tion of documents. The fire marshal shall have the power to summon witnesses before him to testify in relation to any matter which is, by the provisions of this article, a subject of inquiry and investigation, and may require the production of any book, papers or documents deemed pertinent thereto. The fire marshal is hereby authorized and empowered to administer oaths and affinnations to any persons appearing as witnesses before him. (Code 1970, ~ 10-19) Sec. 38-61. Investigations may be private; sequestration of witnesses. All investigations held by or under the dir~ction of the fire marshal may, in his discr~tion, be private and persons other than those required to be present may be excluded from the place where such investigation is held, and witnesses may be kept separate and apart from each other and not allowed to communicate with each other until they have been examined. (Code 1970, ~ 10-20) .State law reference-Delegation of the authority of the state fire marshal to local government fire marshal, V.T.e.A;, Government Code ~ 417.009. CD38:4