Spontaneous Combustion

[Suzanne]

I've been talking about the phenomenon of Spontaneous Human Combustion (SHC) with my friend Nora recently.
I'm trying to collect a series of links so that I can eventually create a little SHC link database.

  Please add your link/image/eyewitness account as a reply. Thanks!

___________________________________________________


1st July 1951

Mary Reeser burnt to dust along with her armchair in her apartment in St Petersburg, Florida. Her landlady took her a telegram and found the doorknob too hot to handle. Firemen discovered a blackened circle on the floors, a few coiled springs, a charred liver, a backbone fragment, skull shrunk to fist size, and a black slipper enclosing a left foot burnt off at the ankle. The rest of the apartment was virtually untouched by the fire. The case became a classic in the annals of Spontaneous Human Combustion...

SHC - Mary Reeser

Mary Reeser's Strange Death (Anomaly Info)


SHC - Cases

SHC - Some Famous Cases (Castle of Spirits)


SHC - Critique

Not-So-Spontaneous Human Combustion (Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal)

Fiery Tales That Spontaneously Destruct (Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal)


SHC - Varia/Definition/Link Collections

SHC - An Anomalies Study (Anomaly Info)

SHC – History & Cases (Science Frontiers)

SHC – Study (The Shadowlands)

SHC - History of Spontaneous Human Combustion (Crystalinks)

SHC - FT Breaking News (ForteanTimes)

SHC - Fortean Gallery (ForteanTimes)

SHC – A Definition (Encyclopedia.Thefreedictionary.Com)

SHC - A Definition (The Skeptic's Dictionary)

[klav]

* Victims are often female
* Victims are often overweight
* Most victims are also said to be alcoholic

source: Wikipedia.

[klav]

(...) in the case of the aforementioned Mrs Reeser: She was last
seen sitting in an overstuffed chair wearing a nightgown and
housecoat and was smoking a cigarette. In addition, she had told
her son that she had taken two sleeping pills.

  rest of this sceptical article and discussion following it: alt.folklore.urban.

[Suzanne]

On a strange, not-so-spontaneous sidenote...

Burning body 'a bizarre suicide'

DETECTIVES investigating the death of a man whose charred body was found in a dense city woodland believe he took his own life in a bizarre suicide.

It is thought Daniel McMillan dug himself a shallow grave in the grounds of a derelict mansion.

Standing inside the hole, he is believed to have soaked himself in petrol and then handcuffed himself, according to police sources. He then lay down, pulled a metal lid over the grave, set fire to himself and burned to death in his self-made furnace.

  Read more

[mcc]

http://www.anomalyinfo.com/articles/ga00003.shtml

Nice piece on this subject at the above site. I never realized the phenomenon has been around for so long. I alway thought it had something to do with our culture changes.

[Suzanne]

http://www.anomalyinfo.com/articles/ga00003.shtml

That's already in the links in my opening post. But thanks anyway, mcc!

And WELCOME to Thee Forum ov Psychick Bunnies and Brains!

We're happy to have you here.

[mcc]

HA!  So it is!  Guess I should have systematically sorted thru your initial links instead of sporadically, huh ?     oops!

... and thanks for the welcome!

[corran]

Miss Tod, you are going to love me. I have something for this topic!...I just have to find it...hmmm....Now, what the hell did I do with that stuff?


I'll be back!

[Suzanne]

*shifts nervously in her seat*

Gimme!

[corran]

My first job in film and television (years ago) was on a Disney show called 'Honey I Shrunk The Kids The TV Show'. I was the storyboard artist and I did some graphics for props too. The show was cancelled in the third season. It was fun while it lasted. And once in a while I got to make some cool props.
For example, in season 2 they shot an episode about spontaneous human combustion (yes I said Disney). And I got to make a big SHC book as a prop. It was hilarious fun. I had an ex-police photographer take the photos and a special effects dude help me with some effects (well...smoke mostly), went to all these different locations with wardrobe and props and shot these pictures. (I'm in one of the cop uniforms).

























(I also dated one of the actresses on the show...but that's a different story.)

[Suzanne]

I had an ex-police photographer take the photos and a special effects dude help me with some effects (well...smoke mostly), went to all these different locations with wardrobe and props and shot these pictures.

Wow! That's most impressive, Corran! Thanks a lot for posting these. I particularly like the first one for its 3D quality, the burnt chair and the smoky Ronald McDonald shoes. The dog is a brilliant idea too - one can almost smell the burnt stinky fur.

(I'm in one of the cop uniforms)

Errm... I knew that right from the start... *takes off x-ray glasses*

The hat is too big, that's why I noticed...

(I also dated one of the actresses on the show...but that's a different story.)

Go on... I have all the time in the world...  *gets a cup of tea and a shortbread*

[Suzanne]

Not really a case of SHC, rather SFC - Spontaneous Furniture Combustion - but nevertheless quite impressive:

12 August

In 1856 Mr Moulton of Bedford was absent from home. The housemaid burned sulphur to fumigate the house. The fire spread but was put out. An hour later, a mattress was found burning in another room. In the following five days there were about forty fires, in curtains, closets and bureau drawers. Neighbours and policemen came in, and were soon fearful for their safety. Not only did objects around them burst into flames, but so did their handkerchiefs. Even chairs and furniture carried into the yard burst into flames. An inquest failed to solve the mystery.

(via ForteanTimes)

 

[Suzanne]

Hmm... another case of SHC?!?

Man Catches Fire During Surgery

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Seattle police launched an investigation on Friday to determine how a patient undergoing emergency heart surgery caught on fire at a local hospital in 2003.

The male patient, who was not identified, went up in flames after alcohol poured on his skin was ignited by a surgical instrument.

The patient died after the surgery but that was due to heart failure and not the fire, said Dr. Robert Caplan, medical quality director of Virginia Mason.

Caplan said fires are known to occur in operating rooms although they were extremely rare.

The two-year-old incident became publicly known after an anonymous letter sent to the media mentioned it as a sign of unsafe health care at the hospital, and said the patient burned to death.

Caplan strongly disputed its contents. "That letter is factually incorrect," he said.

(via Reuters)

[Suzanne]

... and in related fascinating news:

Spontaneous ignition discovery has ORNL researcher fired up

Oooooh!  

[Suzanne]

12 August 1856

Mr Moulton of Bedford was absent from home. The housemaid burned sulphur to fumigate the house. The fire spread but was put out. An hour later, a mattress was found burning in another room. In the following five days there were about 40 fires, in curtains, closets and bureau drawers. Neighbours and policemen came in, and were soon fearful for their safety. Not only did objects around them burst into flames, but so did their handkerchiefs. Even chairs and furniture carried into the yard burst into flames. An inquest failed to solve the mystery.

(via FT)