First Irish Case of Death by Spontaneous Combustion

Originally posted by Suspiria

He said Professor Bernard Knight, in his book on forensic pathology, had written about spontaneous combustion and noted that such reported cases were almost always near an open fireplace or chimney.

Meh, sounds like a spark from the fire got him initially. But Old Corp might be onto something with increased blood alcohol levels aggravating something.
I don't know many pensioners who don't like a drink in their old age, especially a nip of spirits.

even soaked in alcohol, human tissue doesn't burn like that.

i know, lol!!

i been lit on fire many times.

doesn't matter if you are drunk.

I remember watching a documentary about SHB a few years back, presented by none other than Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden!

I can't remember the finer details, but I do remember a case study of a tramp, who'd eaten a huge fry up at a café, followed by copious amounts of alcohol. He had then camped out for the night at the bottom of some stairs inside a block of flats and, at some point, ended up spontaneously combusting!

I think the theory was that he'd eaten eggs and drunk alcohol and at some point..... farted..... and the sulpher and alcohol had created a deadly explosion.

But don't quote me on any of that because it was years ago. Although it was certainly something to do with the eggs, alcohol and flactulence. Poor guy!

ETA: I think he may have been lighting his cigarette too....?

reply to post by judus


That's another thing about SHC though, it seems that it happens so quickly the victim doesn't even have time to run about. I studied this a little as a teen, and all the cases I ever saw seemed to suggest that those it happened to barely managed to move, if at all. In fact, there was no solid evidence that any of them took any action to extinguish the fire.

And, if the neighbors smoke alarm went off, their homes would be pretty close. And he didn't hear any screaming. This suggests to me that it's like all the other cases - the victim was probably unconscious, and possibly already dead when his body combusted.

And, I do believe that alcohol might be involved too. Have there been any instances of SHC in children or young adults? It seems to me that the vast majority are elderly, and many of them are reported to have a drinking problem.

Although I am sad for the family involved, I cannot help but say it is fascinating to have another case of this. They can be sure he'll be mentioned in numerous books on the subject in the future, so he will be remembered. Probably not in the right way, but his death might lead to more answers eventually.

This certainly isn't the first case of SHC in Ireland. It may be the first time they used it as a cause of death on death records.

Here's one proof:

www.unsolvedrealm.com...

In 1997, John O’Connor was found dead, in Ireland. His head, upper torso, and feet were intact. The rest of him was in complete ashes.

I remember several other Irish cases from a television documentary ages ago.

Originally posted by OldCorp
Seeing as how many SHC cases have been linked to alcoholism, I'm astonished that this is the first case out of Ireland.

I'm also Irish, so I'm allowed to stereotype.

ERIN GO BRAGH!

Ha!

Chuck Fade Our Law.

Do I get a death sentence for making it that way

can I, coz I just cannot spell tiochgfhfhadiouthghte ár lá

god Im dead lol

reply to post by Essan


Well its not chillie which causes it coz i have loads of that

But i would like to know what it is/ I mean Vegetables give you gas so i suppose if gas builds up inside and you drink Alcahol alot that its possible the mixture of the two could cause an explosion right? Or light a cigarette at the right time!!

Originally posted by judus
I couldnt think of a worse way go. Sat watching tv then boom your on fire running around trying to put yourself out not nice

Sit in a bath, why is everyone so confusedf here!!


??

I have read of cases (apparently documented) of SHC where the victim survived.

In the one that I remember, a man was walking down the street and a blue flame leaped out of his leg, through his pants. He clamped his hand over it and another one came out of his leg in a different spot. I believe that he suffered some third degree burns on his leg and second degree burns on his hand, if my memory serves me correctly.

Found a link to a case:

SHC Survivor

and another:

In September 1985, Debbie Clark was walking home when she noticed an occasional flash of blue light.[11] As she claimed, "It was me. I was lighting up the driveway every couple of steps. As we got into the garden I thought it was funny at that point. I was walking around in circles saying: 'look at this, mum, look!' She started screaming and my brother came to the door and started screaming and shouting 'Have you never heard of spontaneous human combustion?'" Her mother, Dianne Clark, responded: "I screamed at her to get her shoes off and it [the flashes] kept going so I hassled her through and got her into the bath. I thought that the bath is wired to earth. It was a blue light you know what they call electric blue. She thought it was fun, she was laughing." In winter 1980, Cheshire, England, resident Susan Motteshead was standing in her kitchen, wearing flame-resistant pajamas, when she was suddenly engulfed in a short-lived fire that seemed to have ignited the fluff on her clothing but burned out before it could set anything properly alight.[10]

Wikiped ia: SHC

Well, or who killed him? Just because this one doctor calls it this doesnt mean its this.

It's quite obvious that he was a vampire and he decided it was time to go, he sat down near the window and watched the sunrise for the first time in what felt like forever, with a smile on his face and tears of joy, he quickly burnt up in the sunlight, forever at peace.

But seriously I have no idea, it makes you wonder.
R.I.P

Originally posted by _Phoenix_
It's quite obvious that he was a vampire and he decided it was time to go, he sat down near the window and watched the sunrise for the first time in what felt like forever, with a smile on his face and tears of joy, he quickly burnt up in the sunlight, forever at peace.

But seriously I have no idea, it makes you wonder.
R.I.P

edit on 23-9-2011 by _Phoenix_ because: (no reason given)

Rest in peace in peace Godric from True blood we'll miss you......... I hope I don't go like this

Originally posted by CN1018
A long time ago (maybe 10 years) I remember watching a show about SHC. I particularly remember a story about a guys arm bursting into flames from the inside. I really hope one day (hopefully in my lifetime) they find out what causes this. It's so darn crazy.

People still think the cause isn't known? It is.

The cause is understood better than you think. There is usually an ignition source that's often overlooked. In this case it was found and ignored.

This quote from the BBC article shows the forensic experts don't have much expertise:

Forensic experts found a fire in the fireplace of the sitting room where the badly burnt body was found had not been the cause of the blaze that killed Mr Faherty.

That has got to be the most ignorant claim I've ever heard. I've burned fires where the log popped and a cinder exploded from the log and landed on me. If I had been drunk and passed out it could have ignited my clothes and I'd be another supposed SHC victim. What the investigators mean is that they probably don't see any burnt trail between the fireplace and the victim, but there doesn't have to be one. Cinders can fly across the room from a fireplace, I've seen it happen.

And here's how the human body burns, they tested the theory on a pig. It burns just like a candle where the clothes are the wick and the fat burns like candle wax:

See this video starting at about 4 and a half minutes, mystery solved:

They screwed up that experiment by using the blanket.

If they just simulated clothing (meaning no blanket) the fire probably would have matched victims exactly and another documentary demonstrates this but I can't find that one on youtube.

Originally posted by xxcalbier
Well I have studied this a long time and I know why it happens .
So ill post this reply take it or leave it but chances are this has to be the answer.
What is the most common molecule in the human Body?? Well any 5 grade science student knows the answer is water .
Ps if you can name another fuel the body has then have at it. .

I just did and any grade 5 science student should know that water doesn't burn.

But I learned somewhere around grade 5 that the Inuit used whale blubber for fuel for heat and light. So we should know that fat burns, and water doesn't.

Originally posted by Heartisblack

Originally posted by _Phoenix_
It's quite obvious that he was a vampire and he decided it was time to go, he sat down near the window and watched the sunrise for the first time in what felt like forever, with a smile on his face and tears of joy, he quickly burnt up in the sunlight, forever at peace.

But seriously I have no idea, it makes you wonder.
R.I.P

edit on 23-9-2011 by _Phoenix_ because: (no reason given)

Rest in peace in peace Godric from True blood we'll miss you......... I hope I don't go like this

One of the best scenes in True Blood.

And yes I hope the man didn't suffer, I hope it was quick. Does anyone know if a spontaneous combustion is quick or not? I hope it's not a slow process!

reply to post by Arbitrageur


Excellent post, it makes a lot of sense!

Since he was an elderly man, if he woke up it was probably already too late to do something about it.

Poor fella what an awful way to go, rest in peace old timer. I'm a nervous person, always have been but sometimes when my anxiety is shooting through the roof I'll get really warm like my insides are on fire, damn I hope I don't combust one day.

There are 4 elements of the body Earth FIRE Wind & Water... many sages in India & Nepal have known about this for millennia