Spontaneous human combustion – and how fire doors stop the spread of fire

With the beginning of the New Year, and after a whole series of articles where we exclusively concentrated on informative material, we thought that it wouldn’t do any harm at this time of year to look at something a little different … that something being spontaneous human combustion!

What is Spontaneous Human Combustion?

In 1746 an article was published in the Philosophical Transactions by a gentleman by the name of Paul Rolli, who is credited with coining the term.  Roll on to 1995, and in his book Ablaze! Larry E Arnold wrote that there have been around 200 reported cases worldwide in the last 300 years.  Cynics – and there are many – and understandably – will say that it simply can’t happen.  So we ask them to explain then the death of Michael Faherty in County Galway in December 2010. The doctor, Ciaran McLoughlin, made this statement at the inquiry into his death: “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.”  Doctors never get these things wrong, do they?

Our favourite fictional example comes from the brilliant Bleak House by Charles Dickens, where the rather unpleasant Mr. Krook combusts spontaneously due to excess alcohol in his body.  At the time (the 1850’s) there was considerable public speculation on the topic; this is what Dickens wrote in his preface to the book:

There is only one other point on which I offer a word of remark. The possibility of what is called spontaneous combustion has been denied since the death of Mr. Krook; and my good friend Mr. Lewes (quite mistaken, as he soon found, in supposing the thing to have been abandoned by all authorities) published some ingenious letters to me at the time when that event was chronicled, arguing that spontaneous combustion could not possibly be. I have no need to observe that I do not wilfully or negligently mislead my readers and that before I wrote that description I took pains to investigate the subject. There are about thirty cases on record, of which the most famous, that of the Countess Cornelia de Baudi Cesenate, was minutely investigated and described by Giuseppe Bianchini, a prebendary of Verona, otherwise distinguished in letters, who published an account of it at Verona in 1731, which he afterwards republished at Rome. The appearances, beyond all rational doubt, observed in that case are the appearances observed in Mr. Krook’s case. The next most famous instance happened at Rheims six years earlier, and the historian in that case is Le Cat, one of the most renowned surgeons produced by France. The subject was a woman, whose husband was ignorantly convicted of having murdered her; but on solemn appeal to a higher court, he was acquitted because it was shown upon the evidence that she had died the death of which this name of spontaneous combustion is given. I do not think it necessary to add to these notable facts, and that general reference to the authorities which will be found at page 30, vol. ii.,1 the recorded opinions and experiences of distinguished medical professors, French, English, and Scotch, in more modern days, contenting myself with observing that I shall not abandon the facts until there shall have been a considerable spontaneous combustion of the testimony on which human occurrences are usually received.

Is it True? If so, what can you do to stop it?

Is it true?  Can it happen?  No-one knows for sure, but what we do know (following on from last week’s article) is that a full risk assessment on the possibility will be hard (if not downright impossible) to carry out.

But if a fire does break out – from spontaneous human combustion or perhaps some other means – then fire doors are of course of crucial importance.  They come in all shapes and sizes, either standard or bespoke, depending on the building and the specific requirements.  Their main tasks, of course, are stop or at least delay the spread of the fire (and smoke) – different fire doors come in different specifications, and some can delay the spread of fire for several hours – while simultaneously allowing people to evacuate quickly and safely.

Talk to the experts

We can’t advise you on how to avoid spontaneous human combustion, but we can give you the best available advice on fire door sizes, types and options.  So if you would like further information see our contact us page or call 020 3199 5840 and we will respond as quickly as possible. We look forward to helping you.