Spontaneous Human Combustion cases

Spontaneous human combustion.

Sounds a bit scientific doesn’t it? The name is given to the phenomena of people seemingly bursting into flames with no apparent cause or knowledge of it happening. It may sound scientific but science has done little to explain the circumstances in which a human burns to death from the inside out.

Caution: this story contains accounts of people dying.

As recent as 2017, a 70 year old man-John Nolan- walking along a road in Tottenham, North London suddenly burst into flames. Shocked, bewildered and terrified pedestrians that witnessed the bizarre event tried desperately to extinguish the flames on the pensioner as others called the emergency services. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital but sadly died the next day, his body covered in 65% 3rd degree burns.

Specialist investigators from London Fire Brigade could not find any cause of the fire, nothing that could have created a spark or a flame, and mysteriously though commonly in these stories, the fire had left all of the surroundings undamaged, had not spread and had been solely limited to John Nolan’s body.

Most cases of spontaneous human combustion or SHC affect the elderly, the sick or disabled or those with alcohol dependency issues. Another recent case occurred in 2010 in Galway, Ireland.

76 year old Michael Faherty was found dead, lying on his back in his living room. He had severe burns that decimated his torso, leaving only his head and lower limbs visible.

Although he was found by the fireplace, the fireplace was deemed by professionals as having no part to play in the death, presumably there was no fire lit there at that point or recently.

Strangely again, almost none of the surroundings had been effected by the fire except for burns on the ceiling directly above Mr Faherty. Sensationally, the coroner investigating his death made the decision to officially record his cause of death as Spontaneous Human Combustion, the first official case recorded in Ireland.

Earlier still and taking place in North London again, is the story of Jeannie Saffin.

In 1982, emergency services were called to the aid of 62 year old Jeannie.

Jeannie was mentally handicapped and being cared for by her father. Her father and brother had heard a sudden roar and found Jeannie aflame, reporting fire shooting from her mouth. They extinguished her with a hose and water but she later died in hospital of her burns. Her clothing that she was wearing had partial burns but the area surrounding her in the kitchen was untouched. Although considered by many to be a case of SHC, the coroners argues over whether her death could have been caused by embers from a tobacco pipe, and found no evidence of flames having come from her mouth.

So what could cause such a terrifying tragedy and are we all at risk of bursting into flames?

Many theories have been put forward- the simplest being smoking and alcohol consumption- that somehow, the two combined can cause a fire to start in the body. It wouldn’t explain every case but certainly may solve a lot of them, if it could be proven to cause SHC.

Another theory suggested is ‘psychic suicide’. A lot of people that succumb to SHC are living alone, elderly, disabled and often depressed or alcoholic. Some researchers theorise that their state of mind is enough to cause their body to destroy itself. Others believe paranormal influence- demons, witchcraft, possession or untapped psychic powers could be the cause.

With the cause unknown, we have no way of telling who could or could not burst into flames but with around 200 recorded cases in history, it’s certainly unlikely that any of us ever will. If you find this topic morbidly fascinating, there are several American cases to read about including that of Mary Reeser, John Irving Bentley and George I. Mott, Maybell Andrews and Anna Martin.