The Mystery of Spontaneous Human Combustion

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Spontaneous Human Combustion

Spontaneous human combustion (SHC) is the process through which a living or recently deceased body goes through combustion at such a rapid pace that the body self ignites or explodes usually without any external source of ignition. As insane as it does sound, there have actually been a few reported cases of SHC happening in real life and leaving grim and burned sites with little to no explanation as to how or why it happened. This phenomenon has also been seen in pop culture and literature such as in the novel Bleak House by Charles Dickens and these depictions also share similar characteristics with actual reported cases.

The first known use of the phenomenon of spontaneous human combustion dates all the way back to the 17th century but it was really due to the novel “Bleak House” wherein one of the characters is killed off by SHC that it gained popularity. After this, there were a large number of cases recorded in the 19th century while the number reduced again nearing the 20th and 21st centuries. By today, the total number of reported cases is probably greater than one hundred. Unlike in the 17th century, the more recent cases of SHC have usually been reports from police and fire department officials have discovered a highly charred corpse with barely affected surroundings.

As this phenomenon isn't scientifically confirmed, it has become a large debate and mystery as to whether or not humans can spontaneously combust. Scientists and people who don't believe in the phenomenon argue that since the only proper flammable properties in the human body are fat tissue and methane gas while the rest is mostly of water, the possibility of a combustion reaction taking place seems very remote. Many scientists dismiss the theory, usually claiming that an undetected flame source such as a cigarette is the real culprit in suspected cases. This is backed by the fact that in quite a few cases, deceased victims were found close to a fire source such as a lighter or cigarette bud. On the other hand, believers of this theory state the fact that unless the human body reaches a temperature of approximately 1,000 degrees Celsius/2,000 degrees Fahrenheit it won't be reduced to ashes. They claim that unless SHC is a true phenomenon attaining such high temperatures without burning nearby furniture and objects seems impossible. This debate has led to many theories as to what actually happened in these cases which I have covered below after some reported cases for 
reference.

Notable Cases of SHC

1. Mary Reeser

The first case is about a 67-year-old woman from St. Petersburg, Florida, named Mary Reeser. On 2 July 1951, her landlady noticed that her house's doorknob was oddly warm and after failed attempts to contact Mary, she quickly notified the police. When the police entered her home, in the middle of a six-foot scorched area of carpet they found Reeser's remains which had burned to ash, save for her skull and a single leg. During the investigation, detectives affirmed that Reeser's temperature had reached approximately 3,500 °F (1,930 °C), which confused the investigators, as except for the chair she was sitting on, everything else in the room was more or less intact. A common theory for this case is that Mary, being an avid smoker had fallen asleep while holding a cigarette. The cigarette, in turn, lit her gown on fire causing this and investigators discovering that she had taken sleeping pills also backed this theory. The only problem in this is that reaching such high temperatures while not causing a large fire seems unlikely from a burning gown

2. Matilda Rooney

This case is quite tragic as it led to the demise of a couple while leaving investigators baffled. On Christmas Eve of 1885, late at night in Seneca, Illinois, a woman named Matilda Rooney supposedly burst into flames. She was alone in her kitchen when, without explanation, she seemingly spontaneously caught on fire. The fire seemed to have started in her body and stayed confined to her as the rest of the room showed little to no signs of fire damage. Furthermore, no source of ignition could be found for the blaze but the flames had been intense enough to reduce Matilda Rooney to ashes, leaving only a few fragments of bone and her feet. The incident also claimed the life of her husband, Patrick, who was found deceased in another room of the house likely due to suffocation from the fumes. The reason SHC is what many people believe happened in this case is because after investigation it was confirmed that there was no reason to suspect foul play and the Rooneys had been enjoying a relaxing evening drinking whiskey together.

3. Margaret Hogan

Margaret Hogan was an 89-year-old widow who lived alone in Dublin, Ireland. On 28 March 1970, she was found burned almost to the point of being completely turned to ash. Unlike in the other 2 cases, a set of Plastic flowers on a nearby table had been diminished to liquid and the screen of the room's TV had completely melted but other than that, the surroundings were near perfect. Although similar to the other 2 cases, both of her legs were undamaged and unburnt. The only related source of fire found was a small coal fire that had been burning in the grate which was reported by a neighbour the previous day. Although, after investigation, no connection was found between this fire and the one in which Mrs. Hogan died. The death was recorded in official reports as "death by burning" with the cause of fire left as "unknown."

Theories

The theories related to this phenomenon are more scientific and related to how it is possible with or without external ignition. There are actually quite a few but I've tried to merge them together and pick out the primary 2 theories.

1. Acetone Theory

According to this theory, Spontaneous Human Combustion is possible without any external ignitions and happens due to Acetone. British biologist Brian J. Ford, in August 2012 claimed in an article in the magazine New Scientist that a buildup of acetone in the body (which can be caused due to alcoholism, diabetes or a certain type of diet) can lead to spontaneous combustion in the body. This theory is furthered to say that while acetone and static electricity may be the beginning of the combustion reaction, other factors and fluids such as bacteria, obesity, and excessive consumption of alcohol, may lead to the reaction being as violent as it has seen to be. The main problem with this theory is that it is shunned by the science community and lacks scientific basing overall

2. Wick Effect Theory

This theory is probably the most popular explanation for these instances as it has been acknowledged by forensic scientists. The "wick effect" theory states if there is a rip in the skin somehow (likely due to something like a cigarette), the fat of a body might leak out and be absorbed by the clothing on the body. Since fat is flammable, this can mimic a sort of candlewick and create conditions in which a human body may ignite and burn for an extended period. There have been experiments on pig tissue which have shown that this effect can recreate many of the unusual characteristics that have been reported in spontaneous human combustion cases. One of the main effects seen in the experiment was the ability to completely incinerate tissue without extensively damaging its surroundings. As for burning a whole body, since this combustion can continue for as long as the fuel is available and the human body typically has a large amount of fat energy stored along with other chemicals it will usually be able to burn for a long period. In many cases, it has been reported that the Feet typically don't burn and this can be explained perfectly here as feet have the least fat. Hands also share this lack of fat but since they are usually resting on other parts of the body burn up due to the fat.

As you can see, this theory covers quite a few aspects of the mystery related to how SHC happens and things related to it. The only thing that slightly goes against this theory is the unlikeliness of so many cases of SHC being situations in which an external ignition was first able to rip the skin, causing fat to leak and soak into clothing and then ignite the whole body.

Conclusion

This theory is definitely one of the more scientific ones that I've covered but still very fun to discuss. In my personal opinion, I do believe the second theory of the "wick effect" as it provides a great explanation to cover all the possible theories. But along with this, I think the first theory also mixes in as things such as acetone in the body may further lead to burning at higher temperatures and more intensely. Due to this, I believe that SHC isn't really something that can happen without external ignition but is probably in some way fueled by the body.

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