Which item is considered to be physical evidence?

Physical evidence refers to tangible items that can provide information or insights into an event or incident. In the context of the choices presented, the damaged electrical wiring qualifies as physical evidence because it is a material object directly linked to the incident. It can be examined, analyzed, and may provide answers regarding the cause of a fire, whether it was due to a fault in the wiring or an external factor.

The other options do not fit the criteria of physical evidence as they are not tangible items. A newspaper article is a secondary source that provides commentary or reporting about an event but does not serve as direct evidence from the incident itself. An eyewitness account is testimonial in nature and, while valuable, is subjective and not a physical object. Finally, a person seen running from a fire scene could be significant as a witness or suspect, but again, they do not constitute physical evidence in the same way that physical materials, like damaged wiring, do.