'First Irish case' of death by spontaneous combustion

[Locutus]

I'd be way more impressed had there been no fire in the fireplace. That would 'spontaneous'. But ok...




A man who burned to death in his home died as a result of spontaneous combustion, an Irish coroner has ruled.
It is believed to be the first case of its kind in Ireland.
West Galway coroner Dr Ciaran McLoughlin said it was the first time in 25 years of investigating deaths that he had returned such a verdict.
Michael Faherty, 76, died at his home at Clareview Park, Ballybane, Galway on 22 December 2010.
An inquest in Galway on Thursday heard how investigators had been baffled as to the cause of death.
Forensic experts found a fire in the fireplace of the sitting room where the badly burnt body was found had not been the cause of the blaze that killed Mr Faherty.
The court was told that no trace of an accelerant had been found and there had been nothing to suggest foul play.




BBC News - 'First Irish case' of death by spontaneous combustion

 

[petros]

Is human fat not considered an accelerant?

 

[captain morgan]

Herb Tarlek... I love it!

 

[EagleSmack]

Although there was no accelerant there was a source of combustion, the fire in the fireplace. All cases of spontaneous combustion have had a source of fire close by. From the last documentary I've seen on this nobody has ever seen a body spontaneously combust. The victims always been alone with sources close by.

 

[petros]

Although there was no accelerant there was a source of combustion, the fire in the fireplace. All cases of spontaneous combustion have had a source of fire close by. From the last documentary I've seen on this nobody has ever seen a body spontaneously combust. The victims always been alone with sources close by.

Mythbusters did it.

 

[EagleSmack]

Mythbusters did it.

They spontaneously combusted?

 

[petros]

They spontaneously combusted?

I wish. Apparently it wasn't Mythbusters. Ah well.

 

[Kakato]

I've seen coal piles spontaneously light up and coal seam outcrops are usually oxidized to the point of burning and turning into ash.
So I think you would need an oxidizer and not an accelerant to combust.

 

[EagleSmack]

The same with piles of mulch and organic matter. They can combust but it is the build up of heat during decomposition that does it.

A source of ignition was found in all cases of spontaneous combustions. Just like in the case in Ireland.

 

[Locutus]

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

The same with piles of mulch and organic matter. They can combust but it is the build up of heat during decomposition that does it.

A source of ignition was found in all cases of spontaneous combustions. Just like in the case in Ireland.

The mulch and paint rags are examples of spontaneous combustion.

But if there is an ignition source, its not spontaneous combustion. Perhaps they should just call it excessive flamibility or something.

 

[coldstream]

Michael Faherty, 76, died at his home at Clareview Park, Ballybane, Galway on 22 December 2010.

Yes.. well another strange death of a former drummer of Spinal Tap..

Co-incidence.. i don't think so.

 

[TenPenny]

When you have that much alcohol in your blood, it's a risk you take.

 

[Kakato]

I was wondering when the Irish jokes would start!

 

[EagleSmack]

The mulch and paint rags are examples of spontaneous combustion.

But if there is an ignition source, its not spontaneous combustion. Perhaps they should just call it excessive flamibility or something.

I should have been more clear. I was talking about spontaneous human combustion.

 

[Kakato]

Maybe he was pulling off a roman candle by lighting his farts.

 

[EagleSmack]

Maybe he was pulling off a roman candle by lighting his farts.

Quite possible!

 

[Bar Sinister]

I saw a special on this in which the researchers managed to achieve the combustion of animal tissue (in this case pig carcasses). If the fire was started properly the combustible fats in the animal tissue eventually consumed the entire carcass. However, the circumstances had to be perfect and the fire had to be started from an outside source. No accelerant was used other than ordinary combustible materials such as wood. Interestingly, the experiment was repeated in a variety of ways and it was found that it was possible to burn the carcass without burning all of the furniture around it. It is entirely possible that in the Irish incident a spark from the fire ignited the victim's clothing and nature took over from there.

 

[Highball]

I was a paid professional firefighter in a large California county and I saw two similar cases like that described here. In both cases the victim stayed in the chair which burned a hole through the hard wood floor and fell into the basement. I didn't know what happened but at a Coroner's Inquest it was revealed by a autopsy surgeon from a large Medical University Hospital. The only real evidence left were shoe lace eyelets, a belt buckle, some denture metallic's and a watch.