UFORCOP CASE STUDY
October 2012-10-21
SHC
SPONTANEOUS
HUMAN
COMBUSTIONS
pontaneous Human Combustion (SHC)
Spontaneous Human Combustion (SHC) describes
reported cases of the burning of a living (or very recently
deceased) human body without an apparent external source
of ignition. There have been about 200 cited cases
worldwide over a period of around 300 years.
There are many hypotheses that attempt to explain human
spontaneous combustion:
Paranormal explanations (e.g., a ghost or divine
intervention)
Natural explanations based on unknown or otherwise
unobserved phenomena (e.g. that the production of
abnormally concentrated gas or raised levels of blood
alcohol might cause spontaneous ignition)
Natural explanations relating to health and lifestyle
factors (e.g. smoking, not consuming adequate levels of
water etc.) Natural explanations that involve an external source of
ignition (e.g. the victim was drunk and dropped a
cigarette)
Objections to natural explanations typically refer to the
degree of burning of the body with respect to its
surroundings. Indeed, one of the common markers of a case
of SHC is that the body – or part of it – suffered an
extraordinarily large degree of burning while the
surroundings or the lower limbs remained comparatively
undamaged. Although there is no scientific evidence to
support them, supernatural explanations of spontaneous
human combustion remain popular.
The spontaneous combustion of people (i.e. death from a
fire originating within the victim's body without a direct
external cause) is a theoretical explanation for a number of
unexplained cases, some of which are well-documented but
many of which are not. The more intriguing cases share the
following characteristics:
The body is completely or almost completely
incinerated, while nearby furniture exposed to high
temperatures remains intact. Damage is limited to the
victim's body and clothing, to the area of the floor or
furniture on which he or she died and to the ceiling
above the corpse. The torso is the focus of the fire and if remains are
found these are of the extremities, such as the feet. There are no traces of fire accelerant and the fire does
not have an evident external cause. Often the combustion seems to happen simultaneously
at many parts of the body, usually without any obvious
points of origin. The victim is typically alone at the time of death and is
thought to have been alive when the fire started,
despite showing little sign of having struggled.
The first theory is based on a phenomenon that has
already been scientifically proven to be possible under
certain conditions. It is called the wick effect because it
takes place exactly like the way in which the wick of a
candle melts the wax. Namely, it is believed that the
victims have, consciously or unconsciously, approached
an igniting medium that caused their clothes to burst into
flames. After this, the burning clothes transmit the fire to
the fatty tissues in the victim's body and this is how the
combustion occurs.
Therefore, the body and clothes of the victim would act as
a candle, with the clothes acting as a wick, and the
victim's own body fat acting as the candle wax. This
theory could be the most pertinent one, but it does not
involve the "spontaneous" factor, as it is based on the
principle that the clothes and body of the victim have been
ignited by an external source such as fire sources inside
the house - cooker, lighters, candles, fireplaces etc.
The second type of theories are supported by scientists
that have showed that there is enough methane gas
inside our intestines to lead to a fire, while the source of
fire could consist in the active enzymes (proteins that
speed up the chemical processes in our bodies).
There is also the theory of Larry Arnold (author of the
book Ablaze) that says that our cells are ignited by a
subatomic particle called pyroton that interacts with the
organic molecules and causes them to burst into fire.
Other scientists have related the human combustion to astatic electricity that is formed within our bodies or to an
external geomagnetic force that silently fire ups the body.
Nevertheless, none of the theories has been publicly
acknowledged yet and it still remains a mysterious
phenomenon that draws attention of an extremely high
number of people, out of which some try to stick to the
"earthly" explanations, while others go beyond human
limits and claim that the cause can even have Divine
origins.
Some skeptics have soaked rags in gasoline and wrapped
pig carcasses and ignited them to show what they call the
wick effect. Unfortunately the pig was not consumed like the
victims were (burned to ash) and in one case they needed to
call the fire department as they set the building they were
doing the testing in on fire.
The victim’s bodies are usually found with some portion of
the body intact and the surrounding area showing very little if
any destructive fire damage. In some cases only slight burn
scarring and soot residue remain on the ceiling or furniture.
The best known, and perhaps most often cited case of SHC
was that of Mary Reeser; known in popular culture as the
“Cinder Lady.” Her remains, discovered on July 2nd 1951 in
her apartment, were little more than ash and a left foot. The
fire was confined largely to the area in which she had been
sitting. For instance, her chair was destroyed, and yet
objects across the room, while slightly damaged, were
mostly recognizable.
There can be no doubt the case was perplexing. A physical
anthropologist named Wilton Krogman investigated at the
request of the local police chief and later wrote, “I find it hard
to believe that a human body, once ignited, will literally
consume itself.” Continuing on, “I cannot conceive of suchcomplete cremation without more burning of the apartment
itself. In fact the apartment and everything in it should have
been consumed. I regard it as the most amazing thing I have
ever seen
But the FBI had already reviewed the case and concluded
that Reeser’s body had been incinerated by “the wick
effect.” Mrs. Reeser was an avid smoker, and fond of taking
sleeping pills. In fact, her son, who was the last to see her
alive, reported that she was sitting in the chair, wearing
flammable nightclothes, with a cigarette in hand. She
reportedly told him she had already taken two sleeping pills,
and planned to take two more shortly. The FBI hypothesized
that Mrs. Reeser had fallen asleep while smoking, and set
fire to her clothes. “Once the body starts to burn,” the FBI
wrote in its report, “there is enough fat and other
inflammable substances to permit varying amounts of
destruction to take place. Sometimes this destruction by
burning will proceed to a degree which results in almost
complete combustion of the body.”
Granted, this solution sounds nearly as incredible as the
very idea that a human being can spontaneously combust.Irish Pensioner 'Died of Spontaneous Human
Combustion'
A pensioner whose body was found totally burned
died of spontaneous human combustion, a coroner
has ruled.
By Josie Ensor The Telegraph
11:54AM BST 23 Sep 2011
Michael Faherty, 76, was found lying face down near an
open fire in his living room in Galway, Ireland.
Apart from his body, investigators could find no other
damage in the house.
Dr Kieran McLoughlin, the West Galway coroner, said it was
the first time in his 25 year career that he had returned a
spontaneous combustion verdict, which is believed to be the
first in Ireland.
Spontaneous combustion occurs when an object – in this
case a human – bursts into flame from an internal chemical
reaction, apparently without being ignited by an external heat
source.
In most cases the victim is almost completely consumed,
usually inside their home, while little to no damage is
recorded to the property itself.
There have been hundreds of reported cases of death by
spontaneous human combustion around the world over the
last 300 years, although few have been properly assessed
by experts.The inquest on Thursday heard how investigators were
baffled as to the cause of death, the Irish Independent
reported. Forensic experts found that a fire in the fireplace of the
sitting room where the man's badly burned body was found
had not been the cause of the blaze. The court was told that no trace of an accelerant had been
found and there had been nothing to suggest foul play. The
coroner said he was satisfied nobody had entered or left the
house that night.
The fire which killed Mr Faherty was confined to the sitting
room. The only damage was to the body, which was totally
burned, the ceiling above him and the floor underneath him.
Pathologist Professor Grace Callagy noted in her post- mortem findings that Mr Faherty had suffered from Type 2
diabetes and hypertension but she concluded he had not
died from heart failure.
Dr McLoughlin said he had consulted medical textbooks and
carried out other research in an attempt to find an
explanation.
He said he referred to a book written by forensic pathologist
on spontaneous combustion and noted that such reported
cases were almost always near an open fireplace or
chimney.
"This fire was thoroughly investigated and I'm left with the
conclusion that this fits into the category of spontaneous
human combustion, for which there is no adequate
explanation," he said.A judge in a coroners inquest rules Spontaneous Human
Combustion as the cause of death.
An excellent book on the subject of the SHC phenomenon.
October 2012-10-21
SHC
SPONTANEOUS
HUMAN
COMBUSTIONS
pontaneous Human Combustion (SHC)
Spontaneous Human Combustion (SHC) describes
reported cases of the burning of a living (or very recently
deceased) human body without an apparent external source
of ignition. There have been about 200 cited cases
worldwide over a period of around 300 years.
There are many hypotheses that attempt to explain human
spontaneous combustion:
Paranormal explanations (e.g., a ghost or divine
intervention)
Natural explanations based on unknown or otherwise
unobserved phenomena (e.g. that the production of
abnormally concentrated gas or raised levels of blood
alcohol might cause spontaneous ignition)
Natural explanations relating to health and lifestyle
factors (e.g. smoking, not consuming adequate levels of
water etc.) Natural explanations that involve an external source of
ignition (e.g. the victim was drunk and dropped a
cigarette)
Objections to natural explanations typically refer to the
degree of burning of the body with respect to its
surroundings. Indeed, one of the common markers of a case
of SHC is that the body – or part of it – suffered an
extraordinarily large degree of burning while the
surroundings or the lower limbs remained comparatively
undamaged. Although there is no scientific evidence to
support them, supernatural explanations of spontaneous
human combustion remain popular.
The spontaneous combustion of people (i.e. death from a
fire originating within the victim's body without a direct
external cause) is a theoretical explanation for a number of
unexplained cases, some of which are well-documented but
many of which are not. The more intriguing cases share the
following characteristics:
The body is completely or almost completely
incinerated, while nearby furniture exposed to high
temperatures remains intact. Damage is limited to the
victim's body and clothing, to the area of the floor or
furniture on which he or she died and to the ceiling
above the corpse. The torso is the focus of the fire and if remains are
found these are of the extremities, such as the feet. There are no traces of fire accelerant and the fire does
not have an evident external cause. Often the combustion seems to happen simultaneously
at many parts of the body, usually without any obvious
points of origin. The victim is typically alone at the time of death and is
thought to have been alive when the fire started,
despite showing little sign of having struggled.
The first theory is based on a phenomenon that has
already been scientifically proven to be possible under
certain conditions. It is called the wick effect because it
takes place exactly like the way in which the wick of a
candle melts the wax. Namely, it is believed that the
victims have, consciously or unconsciously, approached
an igniting medium that caused their clothes to burst into
flames. After this, the burning clothes transmit the fire to
the fatty tissues in the victim's body and this is how the
combustion occurs.
Therefore, the body and clothes of the victim would act as
a candle, with the clothes acting as a wick, and the
victim's own body fat acting as the candle wax. This
theory could be the most pertinent one, but it does not
involve the "spontaneous" factor, as it is based on the
principle that the clothes and body of the victim have been
ignited by an external source such as fire sources inside
the house - cooker, lighters, candles, fireplaces etc.
The second type of theories are supported by scientists
that have showed that there is enough methane gas
inside our intestines to lead to a fire, while the source of
fire could consist in the active enzymes (proteins that
speed up the chemical processes in our bodies).
There is also the theory of Larry Arnold (author of the
book Ablaze) that says that our cells are ignited by a
subatomic particle called pyroton that interacts with the
organic molecules and causes them to burst into fire.
Other scientists have related the human combustion to astatic electricity that is formed within our bodies or to an
external geomagnetic force that silently fire ups the body.
Nevertheless, none of the theories has been publicly
acknowledged yet and it still remains a mysterious
phenomenon that draws attention of an extremely high
number of people, out of which some try to stick to the
"earthly" explanations, while others go beyond human
limits and claim that the cause can even have Divine
origins.
Some skeptics have soaked rags in gasoline and wrapped
pig carcasses and ignited them to show what they call the
wick effect. Unfortunately the pig was not consumed like the
victims were (burned to ash) and in one case they needed to
call the fire department as they set the building they were
doing the testing in on fire.
The victim’s bodies are usually found with some portion of
the body intact and the surrounding area showing very little if
any destructive fire damage. In some cases only slight burn
scarring and soot residue remain on the ceiling or furniture.
The best known, and perhaps most often cited case of SHC
was that of Mary Reeser; known in popular culture as the
“Cinder Lady.” Her remains, discovered on July 2nd 1951 in
her apartment, were little more than ash and a left foot. The
fire was confined largely to the area in which she had been
sitting. For instance, her chair was destroyed, and yet
objects across the room, while slightly damaged, were
mostly recognizable.
There can be no doubt the case was perplexing. A physical
anthropologist named Wilton Krogman investigated at the
request of the local police chief and later wrote, “I find it hard
to believe that a human body, once ignited, will literally
consume itself.” Continuing on, “I cannot conceive of suchcomplete cremation without more burning of the apartment
itself. In fact the apartment and everything in it should have
been consumed. I regard it as the most amazing thing I have
ever seen
But the FBI had already reviewed the case and concluded
that Reeser’s body had been incinerated by “the wick
effect.” Mrs. Reeser was an avid smoker, and fond of taking
sleeping pills. In fact, her son, who was the last to see her
alive, reported that she was sitting in the chair, wearing
flammable nightclothes, with a cigarette in hand. She
reportedly told him she had already taken two sleeping pills,
and planned to take two more shortly. The FBI hypothesized
that Mrs. Reeser had fallen asleep while smoking, and set
fire to her clothes. “Once the body starts to burn,” the FBI
wrote in its report, “there is enough fat and other
inflammable substances to permit varying amounts of
destruction to take place. Sometimes this destruction by
burning will proceed to a degree which results in almost
complete combustion of the body.”
Granted, this solution sounds nearly as incredible as the
very idea that a human being can spontaneously combust.Irish Pensioner 'Died of Spontaneous Human
Combustion'
A pensioner whose body was found totally burned
died of spontaneous human combustion, a coroner
has ruled.
By Josie Ensor The Telegraph
11:54AM BST 23 Sep 2011
Michael Faherty, 76, was found lying face down near an
open fire in his living room in Galway, Ireland.
Apart from his body, investigators could find no other
damage in the house.
Dr Kieran McLoughlin, the West Galway coroner, said it was
the first time in his 25 year career that he had returned a
spontaneous combustion verdict, which is believed to be the
first in Ireland.
Spontaneous combustion occurs when an object – in this
case a human – bursts into flame from an internal chemical
reaction, apparently without being ignited by an external heat
source.
In most cases the victim is almost completely consumed,
usually inside their home, while little to no damage is
recorded to the property itself.
There have been hundreds of reported cases of death by
spontaneous human combustion around the world over the
last 300 years, although few have been properly assessed
by experts.The inquest on Thursday heard how investigators were
baffled as to the cause of death, the Irish Independent
reported. Forensic experts found that a fire in the fireplace of the
sitting room where the man's badly burned body was found
had not been the cause of the blaze. The court was told that no trace of an accelerant had been
found and there had been nothing to suggest foul play. The
coroner said he was satisfied nobody had entered or left the
house that night.
The fire which killed Mr Faherty was confined to the sitting
room. The only damage was to the body, which was totally
burned, the ceiling above him and the floor underneath him.
Pathologist Professor Grace Callagy noted in her post- mortem findings that Mr Faherty had suffered from Type 2
diabetes and hypertension but she concluded he had not
died from heart failure.
Dr McLoughlin said he had consulted medical textbooks and
carried out other research in an attempt to find an
explanation.
He said he referred to a book written by forensic pathologist
on spontaneous combustion and noted that such reported
cases were almost always near an open fireplace or
chimney.
"This fire was thoroughly investigated and I'm left with the
conclusion that this fits into the category of spontaneous
human combustion, for which there is no adequate
explanation," he said.A judge in a coroners inquest rules Spontaneous Human
Combustion as the cause of death.
An excellent book on the subject of the SHC phenomenon.
