I have just spent the last hour or so going through the posts for this thread.
1) Westlake- I don't know in what capacity you have attended "other fires" but from my seven years as a full timer with the fire service you can rest assured that the officers at the scene did not go blasting water around willy nilly without regard for the evidence or structual integrity of buildings. Which, on reading your post, seems to be what you were inferring.
The need to preserve evidence is crucial but this has to be weighed against the need to preserve life and minimise further damage. Fire fighters are not magicians. To do the job they need to do with the mediums they have at thier disposal sometimes water damage to evidence/crash parts, sadly, is inevitable.
2) As a biz-jet jock myself it pains me to hear the dross that comes out of the mouths of people I would normally consider educated. The sensationalism circulated by the media is a part of our lives that we unfortunately have to live with. It never fails to amaze me what people are prepared to say for their five mins of fame. I take comfort from the fact that the majority (I believe) listening to the garbage coming out of the TV treat it with the contempt it deserves.
3) FDR/CVR- I have been doing this job coming up 10yrs and it is a shame that the above is not mandatory, I don't care if it is a "PRIVATE FLIGHT". The above should be fitted. I don't think the end result would have been any different, it would not have saved them, but at least there would be hard physical evidence.
4) airports/houses- As loads of you have mentioned. Why buy a house next to an airport if you think you are going to be a statistic. In fact I have a better idea, just don't get out of bed in the morning. Oooops, sorry don't do that. An aircraft might crash on you. Jeeeeesssuuss.............
give me strength.
My thoughts are with the crew and their families. All the best to all you PP posters and safe flying.