Man bursts into flames on london street (unexplained)

I have read on those stories of SHC and I find them fascinating. I am an alcoholic but do not drink anywhere near as much as I used too. But I have had at times a feeling, always in my right thigh, of a burning sensation and thought to myself that I was about to go into spontaneous human combustion.

That is an odd feeling.

a reply to: slider1982

I don't want to come across as ghoulish BUT it'd be useful if a SHC case occurred on CCTV. They're so rare I don't think any popular explanation really works. Catching one in action might finally give doctors and scientists a workable clue.

a reply to: slider1982

Samsung Galaxy Note 7?

Polyester/wool blend clothing?

When I was a teenager, I'd collect all the mystery books I could find. These had stories about entrances to underground caverns hidden by stones in streambeds, people disappearing as "holes" appeared in the basements of their homes and SHC (Spontaneous Human Combustion). The first two actually happened in modern times. Now we've got a a case of SHC.

First thing with SHC is that people burn from the inside out and that there is a blue flame. When this has happened indoors, the person was in a sealed room with a heat source like a coal or electric fire. The source of internal burning would be in the chest/stomach area. They had also been drinking wine. So a person could have become thirsty, drank some wine, dehydrated a bit more, the alcohol perfuses the body and then begins to be perspired or heat up in the stomach, and then ignite. In cases when the person was outdoors, a blue flame was seen and couldn't be put out easily.

There are various chemicals that burn with a blue flame; Ethanol, Methanol, Isoproyl alcohol. Copper, arsenic and lead also burn with a blue flame. Copper chloride is safe.

Within a single glass of wine, 4oz, there are 25g of ethyl alcohol and 3g of glycerine.

When that burns, that gives off a blue flame. It's quite possible for someone to drink one or two bottles of wine. That could be 12 glasses in total or 300g. That would be enough to make someone's lungs flammable.

Well I am finally home,

It seems this is just gaining interest from other sites, I would say if the current reporting is anything to go by then it may well be a case to view as SHC, it seems that eye witnesses have not stated any visable foul play at this point.

PC Damien Ait-Amer, who is investigating the death, said: “We have spoken with a number of witnesses who saw Mr Nolan ablaze, but we have yet to establish how the fire started.

www.standard.co.uk...

The comments about Phones and E-cigs are will need to be addressed but thus far it seems that the authorities have nothing to go on, I would like to think if a smouldering phone or other device was noted at the scene it would be made public.

History does have numerous cases of supposed human combustion only time will tell if this will be added to the list?..

I actually have a few contacts within Haringey where this took place I will start to ask a few questions and
see what comes to light, if it is note worthy and does not cause issues to any investigation I will post up..

ADDED::: Regarding CCTV, Haringey has an absurd amount of cameras, so if this was on a main road, CCTV would exist but I know the camera network in the area "probably" will not be recording unless they are called upon to do so, they tend to capture footage from just after a situation has occurred or as it is developing.

Obviously private CCTV would be another matter..


RA

originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: slider1982

I don't want to come across as ghoulish BUT it'd be useful if a SHC case occurred on CCTV. They're so rare I don't think any popular explanation really works. Catching one in action might finally give doctors and scientists a workable clue.

One of the first things I ever looked into on strange and mysterious events, was SHC. It always creeped me out to know that you can just suddenly burst into flames, yesh.

With todays media state, you'll think we'll see something, our society we have eyes EVERYWHERE.

I often wonder how hsc would be affected by extraordinarily high body temperatures. heatstrokes occur at 105.8. at that temperature, the heat of the body will literally burn up body tissues. I postulate that if you throw in some booze (or enough Listerine...lol), it could ignite. if your read gasoline warnings, it says (obviously) no sparks while filling up. and to beware the danger of static electricity around flammables.
of course, i still hold out hope for something rather extraordinary. like just a POOF! you're on fiyah! 🔥

originally posted by: oldcarpy
a reply to: Zcustosmorum


Spontaneous human combustion is a "thing" it seems as there have been numerous reported cases.

We have "two" selves.

One self is made of matter, and the other self is made of anti-matter.

We don't see the anti-matter body. It has it's own life.

But, occasionally, the two bodies try to occupy the same space, and we get spontaneous combustion, from the high energy release when matter and anti-matter collide.

Our anti-matter "double" is in another dimension, that overlaps this one that contains our regular matter physical bodies.

I'm not sure what causes the two bodies, living in separate dimensions, to accidentally meet and recombine.


Incidentally, buddhists claim to be able to combine the two bodies in a controlled manner, through mediation, and the fused body becomes a body of light, it gets "transfigured" exactly like Jesus's transfiguration on the mountain. The body of some advanced buddhists who die also transfigures after death into this same "body of light".

High Tibetan lamas are known by this sign, at death, the body transforms into a "rainbow body of light" if that lama was a highly evolved soul.

Here are some other cases:

independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/spontaneous-human-combustion-woman-who-suffered-burns-in-germany-spurs-debate-about-controve rsial-a6722166.html

Beans + cabbage + corduroy pants = combustion.

a reply to: slider1982

One thing to ponder: Acetone. It is naturally produced in the body and is highly flammable. Interestingly, wikipedia also cites 'alcoholism' and diabetes as producing more than normal.

en.wikipedia.org...

Sound BSish.

I'll post more on this after I find my book that has a very good eye witness account of this happening. Though I'm not sure as to the full truest worthiness of the eye witness since the account was from the middle ages (if I remember correctly). The individual in question had eaten a large amount of fatty meats and had over consumed the evenings wine. Then had unexpectedly burst into flames.

I'll post more after finding the book like I said. A few other cases of this include a man who was fishing (and drinking) and started to exhibit flames coming from his skin. If I remember that case well enough, that guy may be the only person to have survived the "SHC". I may have his name around somewhere. the guy is still alive since both he and his fishing buddy had stated the story as true, and later on his wife had called the fire department when the guy was at home and started to flame up again (this case was important since a reliable person, aka the firefighter, had to respond to the second flaming incident)

Yes, a few things do seem to be at fault in these cases:
Alcohol consumption
Fatty foods and/or heavily energy foods like energy bars
A heat source (either the sun, heater, fire, possibly a blown e-cigerette in one case)

Death only seems to occure when the victum is unconscience or incapsitated some how.

I'll post more later.

originally posted by: PolyCottonBlend
I often wonder how hsc would be affected by extraordinarily high body temperatures. heatstrokes occur at 105.8. at that temperature, the heat of the body will literally burn up body tissues. I postulate that if you throw in some booze (or enough Listerine...lol), it could ignite. if your read gasoline warnings, it says (obviously) no sparks while filling up. and to beware the danger of static electricity around flammables.
of course, i still hold out hope for something rather extraordinary. like just a POOF! you're on fiyah! 🔥

You must live in a cold country Poly........

The rest of us on this Earth, live in areas that actually have a season called Summer.

Often, our summer time temperature gets to 44-45C, about 112 F.......Noone bursts into Flames.....
Remember, these temperatures are in the Shade.
A car left out in the Sun in Summer, gets to 60C inside!! Jump in that and drive home....and yes not to many cars had Airconditioners in the old days.

So NO, nobody bursts into flames at 105.8F on planet Earth.

We even have the unfortunate situation of young Indigenous people sniffing Petrol (or Gasoline) in desert communities..... and they dont burst into flames.

With the high number of incidents of house fires, caused by computers left on beds, phones recharging etc, and the videos of women's bags bursting into flames on trains etc, I would think that is more likely than Human combustion.

And yes it was a big "Thing" in the late 70s and thru the 80s, with all the Mystery TV shows (In Search Of, etc ), magazines etc...

Most of the English reports were of women (often overweight), in cold areas, with a small open radiator/grille/heater type electrical device that was common (and Very unsafe) in those times.....not to mention the Polyester/Nylon/Rayon etc Dressing gowns women wore in those days.....+ Flame/very hot = Poof!!! and smoke.......
Then the human wick effect takes over.

Either that, or God didnt like this person and sent a bolt of flame from the heavens.....You are all warned!!!

This phenomenon is most clearly described in The Gospel of Thomas,
where Jesus says,

"If he is united he will be filled with light, but if he is divided he will be filled with darkness."
-- The Gospel of Thomas #61
The Gospel of Thomas 61 "united"

Or, as the translator Peter Novak renders it in his book,

Jesus said to her, "Therefore I say, if he is undivided, he will be filled with light, but if he is divided, he will be filled with darkness." --
The Gospel of Thomas 61 "undivided"

Another interesting rendering of this same statement; Translated by Thomas O. Lambdin

"Therefore I say, if he is destroyed, he will be filled with light, but if he is divided, he will be filled with darkness."
--
The Gospel of Thomas 61 "destroyed"

Here the idea of being "united" is seen as synonymous with something being "destroyed" to achieve that "undivided" state.

Alternative translations add refinments to the meaning, e.g.,

www.earlychristianwritings.com...

They all point to the same basic idea.

We have 2 bodies. When these two bodies are divided and separate, we walk in darkness.

But, when the 2 bodies "fuse" and combine into one, destroying the duality, and, of course, destroying the physical body "in flames", then we obtain that "body of light", where our being is filled with "actual light", and matter has vanished, annihilated exactly like the matter combining with anti-matter that science has recently discovered.

a reply to: slider1982

There wasn't a blue police call box nearby was there?

So, you guys have seen the footage of the 1960's or so burned victim that they said burned like a candle and they showed plain as day a sock and shoe almost all there still....but the leg left an ashtrail right up to the sock and foot with shoe

or Lordy

a reply to: GBP/JPY

Yes, there was usually a "Radiator" or electric heater nearby, or a wood stove or some such heating unit.

Yep, seen that famous photo of the Foot still in the slipper, next to a pile of ashes.....from the 40s or 50s from memory.

You do know, it was very common in the old days for people to die in their sleep, either by fire or smoke......from simply smoking cigarettes in bed...falling asleep and the bed or clothes caught on fire from the still burning cigarette....add some alcohol for a "nightcap" and Poof!!!.

Yes we tend to have different habits now, to what some people did decades ago......some were quite interesting.....of course they/we say the same about modern folk too.

originally posted by: CulturalResilience

originally posted by: butcherguy
Cases of SHC have a common factor in a lot of cases.
The victims tend to be alcoholics.
This guy was Irish....

And a construction worker, or what we call a labourer. Now we are both guilty of bad stereotyping?

Why do Irish people drink alot?

According to the national charity Alcohol Action Ireland,  Ireland is one of 26 nations in the European Union with the highest alcohol consumption rates per capita. In fact, the Irish drink about 20% more than the average European.

In addition to total consumption of alcohol, Irish drinkers also cross the line from casual drinkers to problem drinkers. It is estimated that over half of all Irish drinkers are problem drinkers. If 80% of the total adult population of 3.2 million people drink, that means that around 1.3 million Irish people have a drinking problem. Researchers further break down the demographics like this: 40% of female drinkers and 70% of male drinkers have a harmful patterns of drinking.

a reply to: slider1982

Here's a collection of other Spontaneous Human Combustion cases...
www.independent.co.uk... ed-burns-in-germany-spurs-debate-about-controversial-a6722166.html

Interestingly, the two major commonalities I see in all this is race and age.
All elderly white folks.