Spontaneous Human Combustion

SHC

This has to be one of the most unusual phenomena I would say of all time. Since we do not know what causes it all we can do is theorize why it happens. In a way this topic scares me more then anything in the paranormal field almost. Why? Because it can happy to anyone at any given time. My theory about this varies but I am sure I am within the scientific reasoning of why it happens. First off I think its rare and occurs probably one out of 50 million since there are occasional cases. Next off I think the burning starts from inside not outside rather then a burning its more like a meltdown where its so hot that your skin just melts along with the bone. I believe before you combust symptoms are a high fever, sweaty outbreaks, maybe a burning sensation or tingling throughout the body as well as your eyes and mouth very dry. What triggers it could be an allergic reaction to certain medications where the brain or body rejects it causing the blood to boil or its possible that some of us in our genes cannot control out body temperature. I also believe that nothing else will catch on fire probably because this is a organic fire sort of like bug repellent only works against bugs. When we get hypothermia the body slows down sometimes the body dies and the brain stays alive but what would happen if the temperature of your body overheats? We have certain cells to control our body temperature I believe the sells cause a chain reaction. A nuclear warhead is the same way you split the atom and it reacts like a chain of events. What if this occurs in the body causing a reaction a swift one as to where you combust obviously the fire stops when the reaction either runs out or the cells burn up. This may be the reason why body parts are left in a SHC occurrence. It could happy to YOU be alert.

Copyright By

AngelOfThyNight-Rick

 

 
 

A Brief History 

http://www.anomalyinfo.com


Many contend that Spontaneous Human Combustion is first documented in such early texts as the Bible, but, scientifically speaking, these accounts are too old and secondhand to be seen as reliable evidence. The first reliable historic evidence of SHC appears to be from the year 1763, when Frenchman Jonas Dupont published a collection of SHC cases and studies entitled De Incendiis Corporis Humani Spontaneis. Dupont was inspired to write this book after encountering records of the Nicole Millet case, in which a man was acquitted of the murder of his wife when the court was convinced that she had been killed by spontaneous combustion. Dupont's book on this strange subject brought it out of the realm of folkloric rumor and into the popular public imagination. 


Continuing belief in SHC in the 1800's is evidenced in the number of writers that called on it for a dramatic death scene. Most of these authors were hacks that worked on the 19th century equivalent of comic books, "penny dreadfuls", so no one got too worked up about it; but two big names in the literary world also used SHC as a dramatic device, and one did cause a stir. The first of these two authors was Captain Marryat who, in his novel Jacob Faithful, borrowed details from a report in the Times of London of 1832 to describe the death of his lead character's mother, who is reduced to "a sort of unctuous pitchey cinder." 


Twenty years later, in 1852, Charles Dickens used SHC to kill off a character named Krook in his novel Bleak House. Krook was a heavy alcoholic, true to the popular belief at the time that SHC was caused by excessive drinking. The novel caused a minor uproar; George Henry Lewes, philosopher and critic, declared that SHC was impossible, and derided Dickens' work as perpetuating a uneducated superstition. Dickens responded to this statement in the preface of the 2nd edition of his work, making it quite clear that he had researched the subject and knew of about thirty cases of SHC. The details of Krook's death in Bleak House were directly modeled on the details of the death of the Countess Cornelia de Bandi Cesenate by this extraordinary means; the only other case that Dickens actually cites details from is the Nicole Millet account that inspired Dupont's book about 100 years earlier.1 

After this brief flap blew over, general interest in the subject ran cold until 1951, when the Mary Reeser case captured the public imagination. Mrs. Reeser was found in her apartment on the morning of July 2, 1951, reduced to a pile of ashes, a skull, and a completely undamaged left foot. This event has become the foundation for many a book on the subject of SHC since, the most notable being Michael Harrison's Fire From Heaven, printed in 1976. Fire From Heaven has become the standard reference work on Spontaneous Human Combustion, and I will be adding its findings and theories to this article over the next few months. 


According to Jenny Randles in her book, Strange & Unexplained Mysteries of the 20th Century, 1980 was a 'bumper crop' year for SHC. Randles claims that ten per cent of all known cases of SHC occurred in that year; an interesting claim, considering that Randles herself only details one case from that year. She asserts that, according to a database that she and Peter Hough compiled in 1990, there were eleven possible cases of SHC globally in the 1950's, seven in the 1960's, thirteen in the 1970's and twenty-two in the 1980's. I will double-check this claim. 

                   THE CANDLE EFFECT                      

 Theory

This theory was first put forward about 100 years ago and has continued to gain support. The theory assumes that the combustion is not spontaneous and that there is always an ignition source. Any cases where no source of ignition are present are assumed to be misreported or hoax. Instead the theory tires to explain the increased combustibility of the body.

Dupuytren states that alcohol is not directly involved in the increased combustibility of the victims. Instead alcohol serves to stupefy and incapacitate the victims prior to them being set alight. Dupuytren's scenario goes something like this:

The victim usually drinks a lot of alcohol before going to sleep in front of a fire or other naked ignition source. During the course of the night the victim comes into contact with an ignition source which sets a portion of the victims clothing alight. We must now consider what happens to bodies that have been set alight (in the presence of a separate fuel source to allow the fire to continue burning). Superintendent Tozer8 of the Manchester Fire Brigade commented on what happens to a burning body;
"The flesh presents a parboiled appearance; the skin then becomes loose and comes off on the fingers of any person touching it; finally the skin dries and cracks; the fat melts, and some bodies may burn independently."

Given this information it is possible to see how a body will burn when it is set alight. At first the fire is fuelled by the original ignition source. This burns the skin and melts the subcutaneous fat. This then soaks into the victims clothing which then acts as a wick. The fat will burn and so the body will fuel its own combustion. The body will continue to burn until there are no more fatty tissues left.

This theory offers some explanations for some of the more puzzling aspects of SHC. The large number of alcoholics among SHC victims is explained by the fact that people who were not drunk at the time are a lot less likely to set fire to themselves in the first place. People who were not drunk are a lot more able to rescue themselves or call for help if they have set themselves alight. People who are in an alcohol induced sleep are of course unable to do this.

Women and overweight people have a greater amount of subcutaneous fat. (Alcoholics also tend to be overweight) The excess fat is usually found on the torso and thighs. The more fat that is present then the more fuel is available for the body to burn independently. The areas that are usually the most badly damaged in cases of SHC are exactly those areas that have the largest concentration of fatty tissues (ie the torso and thighs)

Parts of the body which are not covered by clothing will not burn. The melted fats need a wick for them to burn effectively. However, areas not covered with clothing will suffer scalds from the hot oils and fats. There is evidence for this taking place, as exposed parts of the skin in SHC victims often has a reddish and blistered appearance, as would be expected in a scald.

A fat fuelled fire is supported by other bits of evidence. Burning fat would produce large amounts of smoke, which would account for the large amounts of soot found in the rooms of SHC victims. The melted fat would also account for the yellow liquid found around some SHC victims. Some of the melted fat would run off the victims and pool on the floor where it would remain unburnt (due to lack of a wick)

Spontaneous Human Combustion; its role in literature and science

Bergman, N

Weelky World News (Nov 18 1986)

 

 

 

Most Famous SHC Case

On July 2nd 1951 remains were found of a 67 year old widower named Mary Reeser. Her burnt smouldering remains were found by her Neighbor and some house painters. She had been sitting in an easy chair when the incident happened. Her left foot still wearing a slipper remained intact and only the corner of the room and the chair she was sitting in had been burnt. Firemen, police and pathologists examined Mrs. Reeser's remains and also found her liver which was fused to a lump of vertebrae and her skull which had been shrunk to the size of a baseball by the unusually intense heat. The the walls of the apartment were covered with a greasy substance, plastic switches had melted along with two candles which the wicks had been left unburnt. There was only a small circular burn area which encompassed the remains of Mrs. Reeser and her chair. For such a cremation experts say that a temperature of 2500 degrees is necessary. A cigarette accidently dropped whilst asleep would never of caused such heat. The true cause of the burning death of Mrs. Reeser is still unknown. She is the most famous case of Spontaneous Human Combustion.

SIMILARITIES

The following facts are common to all SHC cases

 
  1. Eighty percent of the victims are female
  2. Most of the victims were overweight and/or alcoholics
  3. The body is very badly burned, but the room the body was found in is pretty much intact except for a fine layer of soot
  4. A yellow, foul smelling oil is usually surrounding the body
  5. The torso, including the chest, abdomen and hips tend to be totally consumed, sparing portions of the extremities and the head - the clothing can also be intact
  6. The victim was always on their own - no shouts or screams could ever be heard
  7. The victim had usually been drinking heavily prior to the death.

     

A Few Common Theories

Where does the flame that lights these people on fire come from? Skeptics theorize that people ignite with a cigarette or electrical shock, and their fat then burns slowly like a candle. Others insist that the ignition comes from within the victim, not an external source. Some say spirits, poltergeists, or demons are to blame. One intriguing theory comes from Livingston Gearhart who suggests that geomagnetic activity is responsible for SHC. Mr. Gearhart plotted geomagnetic energy against verified SHC deaths. Very high levels of geomagnetic energy were present in the days before every case of spontaneous human combustion investigated.

Perhaps more than one of these diverse theories is correct. Different causes may be responsible for SHC at different times. Different causes may also be combining in various ways to cause SHC. The variety of occurrences of spontaneous human combustion supports the possibility that multiple hypothesis may be valid.

Few More Theories about Spontaneous Human Combustion

Alchoholism - many Spontaneous Human Combustion victims have been alcoholics. But experiments in the 19th century demonstrated that flesh impregnated with alcohol will not burn with the intense heat associated with Spontaneous Human Combustion.

 

  • Deposits of flammable body fat - Many victims have been overweight - yet others have been skinny.

     

  • Devine Intervention - Centuries ago people felt that the explosion was a sign from God of divine punishment.

     

  • Build-up of static electricity - no known form of electrostatic discharge could cause a human to burst into flames.

     

  • An explosive combination of chemicals can form in the digestive system - due to poor diet.

     

  • Electrical fields that exist within the human body might be capable of 'short circuiting' somehow, that some sort of atomic chain reaction could generate tremendous internal heat.

    No satisfactory explanation of Spontaneous Human Combustion has ever been given. It is still an unsolved mystery.

     

Types of Spontaneous Human Combustion

Some events of Spontaneous Human Combustion are witnessed but some are not.

All reported cases have occurred indoors.

The victims were always alone for a long period of time.

Witnesses who were nearby (in adjacent rooms) report never hearing any sounds, such as cries of pain or calls for assistance.

In the witnessed combustions - people are actually seen by witnesses to explode into flame; most commonly. Here the witnesses agree that there was no possible source of ignition and/or that the flames were seen to erupt directly from the victim's skin. Unfortunately, most of the known cases of this type are poorly documented and basically unconfirmed. Sometimes there are no flames seen by the witness.

Uusually these type are fatal and only a few body parts remain.

Non-fatal cases - Unfortunately, the victims of these events generally have no better idea of what happened to them than do the investigators; but the advantage to this grouping is that a survivor can confirm if an event had a simple explanation or not. Thus, there are far fewer cases of Spontaneous Human Combustion with survivors that can be explained away by skeptics without a second look.

Sometimes victims develop burns on their bodies that have no known external cause. These strange wounds commonly start as small discomforts that slowly grow into large, painful marks.

Sometimes the victim will exhibit a mysterious smoke from the body. In these odd and rare occurrences smoke is seen to emanate from a person, with no associated fire or source of smoke other than the person's body.

 

What Remains After a Spontaneous Human Combustion Event
  • The body is normally more severely burned than one that has been caught in a normal fire.
  •  
  • The burns are not distributed evenly over the body; the extremities are usually untouched by fire, whereas the torso usually suffers severe burning.
  •  
  • In some cases the torso is completely destroyed, the bones being reduced completely to ash.
  •  
  • Small portions of the body (an arm, a foot, maybe the head) remain unburned.
  •  
  • Only objects immediately associated with the body have burned; the fire never spread away from the body. SHC victims have burnt up in bed without the sheets catching fire, clothing worn is often barely singed, and flammable materials only inches away remain untouched.
  •  
  • A greasy soot deposit covers the ceiling and walls, usually stopping three to four feet above the floor.
  •  
  • Objects above this three to four foot line show signs of heat damage (melted candles, cracked mirrors, etc.)
  •  
  • Although temperatures of about 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit are normally required to char a body so thoroughly (crematoria, which usually operate in the neighborhood of 2,000 degrees, leave bone fragments which must be ground up by hand), frequently little or nothing around the victim is damaged, except perhaps the exact spot where the deceased ignited.

 

A spark of static electricity off a person's own hand can start a fire
that can quickly leave an unsuspecting victim engulfed in flames, fire
safety experts say.   (ABCNEWS.com)   

Submitted By NightUfo@webtv.net

In a Flash
How Was a Man Engulfed
n Flames at Gas Pump?

— When a man was engulfed in flames at a San Antonio, Texas, gas
station last month, it seemed like simply a freak accident, made more
horrific by the fact that it was caught on surveillance camera. 
Though rare, so-called static fires such as that one are not that
uncommon. At a gas station, something as simple as a spark of static
electricity can start a fire that can quickly leave a person engulfed in
flames, fire safety experts say. 
A recent study by the Petroleum Equipment Institute found that there
have been at least 130 confirmed cases of static fires. Most have
occurred in the last three years. 
The man in the Texas incident, 52 -year-old Bob Clewis, was filling gas
cans in his truck when a spark of static electricity lit up a cloud of
gasoline vapor and everything around it. The retired army sergeant was
engulfed in flames. 
"It's a miracle to be able to sit here today," Clewis told reporters
from the hospital. Other people at the station rushed to his aid and
helped to put out the fire. One man was seen taking off his shirt and
beating out the flames with it. 

Dead in Fireball 
Though he suffered third-degree burns, Clewis has been recovering well.
Others have not been as lucky. 
In 1996, a 33-year-old woman was burned to death in a fireball at a
Tulsa, Okla., gas station. A static spark is suspected in that incident
as well. It, too, was caught on surveillance tape 
Electrical engineer Steve Fowler and Jim Pharr, a fire marshal in Gaston
County, N.C., have studied static fires extensively. While the fires are
rare, the hazard is significant, and consumers need to pay attention
when they're at the gas pumps, they said. 

"They can kill themselves and the person standing next to them," Fowler
said. 
Fowler and Pharr set up a demonstration for Good Morning America to show
how static charges can lead to a fire at the pumps. Most fires occur
when a consumer goes back into their car, either to sit or to retrieve
items while the gas pumps. Merely brushing against the car's interior can
give the person a static charge, and if the first thing they touch when
they return to the pump is the nozzle, there could be serious trouble 

Taking your jacket off is just one of the things that can give you
enough of a charge to start a fire, Fowler said. 
Using a device that simulates the voltage of a typical human static
spark, Pharr demonstrated how by making some simple mistakes, things can
go terribly wrong. 
Never Pull Nozzle Out 
To avoid this scenario, experts say you should always remember to get
rid of any static charge before you reach for the pump. That can be as
simple as tapping the top of your car or a safety sticker on your
window. 
The people getting out of their cars should discharge their static,
every time they go to the fuel port area. 
And both experts say if a fire does start, never take the gas nozzle out
of the car. Doing so is the surest way to turn a bad situation into a
tragedy 
"Never pull the nozzle out — never," Pharr said. "Leave." 

When the nozzle is left in the car after a fire starts, the results are
much less explosive. 
Fowler said that the recent San Antonio fire illustrated a different
static fire hazard, one that specifically involves portable gas cans. 
Most stations have stickers that specifically warn consumers never to
fill containers up unless they are on the ground. That's because a
container — just like a person — can become statically charged. If
the earth is not there to absorb the voltage, the can itself may spark. 
The solution is keeping the gas container on the ground, and on its
side. 

Safety experts say prominent warnings at gas stations, and
demonstrations are the best weapons they have to help keep your next
visit to the pumps uneventful. Though the risk of fires may be low, each
one that occurs is unacceptable, and easily avoided. 
"Even though it's freak accident, when it happens, it's devastating,"
Pharr said. 

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