Notable Cases of Spontaneous Human Combustion
Mary Reeser (1951)
This incident occurred in St. Petersburg, Florida on July 2, 1951. Pansy Carpenter was Reeser’s landlady, and she came to the door with a telegram. She noticed the doorknob was scalding to the touch and decided to call the police. They were stunned to find mainly ashes in the remnants of the chair Reeser was sitting on. Only her backbone and part of her left foot survived the flames. There were some plastic objects several feet from the chair, and they had softened due to the heat. Her shrunken skull surprised investigators.
J.R. Reichert, the St. Petersburg police chief, deemed the matter important enough to send the remains of Reeser to J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the FBI. Her body was entirely cremated in the fire which means exposure to an incredibly high temperature. However, the room showed little evidence of a blaze. The FBI investigated the case and concluded that Reeser was a victim of the Wick Effect.
Henry Thomas (1980)
Thomas’ body was found in the living room of his home in Wales. The 73-year-old was little more than a pile of ashes when police found him. All that was left of the unfortunate victim was his skull and a piece of each leg below the knee. These remaining extremities were still clothed in trousers and socks while half the chair he had sat on was also destroyed.
The first officer to witness the scene said there was a fine mist of human fat that covered all of the room’s surfaces; the fat evaporated due to the heat of the fire. The front panel of Thomas’ television melted even though it was 15 feet away. Once again, forensic officers blamed the Wick Effect.
Michael Flaherty (2010)
Flaherty’s remains were found in Galway, Ireland on 22 December 1980. His neighbor, Mr. Mannion, was awakened by Flaherty’s smoke alarm and when he went outside, he saw thick smoke coming from Flaherty’s house. He alerted others in the area and also called the police. The victim was found lying on his back with his head near an open fireplace. The only damage to the living room occurred to the ceiling above and flooring below the burnt body.
There was no evidence of arson, and no accelerants were found. After a detailed investigation, a pathologist ruled that the open fireplace was not the cause. Eventually, Dr. Ciaran McLoughlin, the coroner assigned the case, ruled that Flaherty’s death was caused by spontaneous human combustion for which he could find no satisfactory explanation.
Although there are approximately 200 cases to study, no one can come up with a definitive explanation for SHC. While the Wick Effect appears to be the best theory available, it is by no means proven.
Where Did We Find This Stuff? Some Sources and Further Reading
University of Tennessee – Debunking the Spontaneous Human Combustion Myth
Doctor’s Review – A Fire Within
The Daily Beast – The Mysterious Case of Drinking & Spontaneous Human Combustion
Live Science – Spontaneous Human Combustion: Facts & Theories
Science ABC – Is Spontaneous Human Combustion Possible?
Medium – Spontaneous Human Combustion: Is it Real or Not?
How Stuff Works – How Spontaneous Human Combustion Works
Dawn – Myths and Mysteries: Burning Up; Spontaneous Human Combustion
Ohio State University – A Look into Spontaneous Human Combustion
Tampa Bay – Spontaneous Combustion in St. Petersburg? The Curious Case of Mary Reeser