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sl8

(16,252 posts)
Sat Dec 16, 2017, 03:37 PM Dec 2017

Man dies after bursting into flames in unexplained circumstances in London street

From http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/man-catches-fire-dies-london-street-haringey-john-nolan-70-age-police-appeal-metropolitan-a8111901.html



Police are appealing for information on the blaze that killed 70-year-old John Nolan Metropolitan Police

Man dies after bursting into flames in unexplained circumstances in London street

Horrified members of the public tried to put out the blaze but John Nolan died of his injuries

Lizzie Dearden | Home Affairs Correspondent | @lizziedearden 23 hours ago

A pensioner has died of his injuries after bursting into flames in unexplained circumstances in a London street.

Police are appealing for information on the blaze that killed 70-year-old John Nolan, a retired construction worker originally from Ireland.

Emergency services were called to reports of a “man ablaze” near his home in Haringey on 17 September.

...




More at link.


14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Man dies after bursting into flames in unexplained circumstances in London street (Original Post) sl8 Dec 2017 OP
Was he a drummer for Spinal tap? dawg day Dec 2017 #1
. sl8 Dec 2017 #2
You beat me to it... The Velveteen Ocelot Dec 2017 #7
Spontaneous combustion? shenmue Dec 2017 #3
That was my thought ClarendonDem Dec 2017 #4
It's definitely a real thing for oily rags & compost piles, not sure about Londoners. n/t sl8 Dec 2017 #5
Do people explode in London more than anywhere else? shenmue Dec 2017 #11
Animal fat, including human fat, is highly flammable. Binkie The Clown Dec 2017 #6
The fire brigade found no evidence of accelerants. sl8 Dec 2017 #9
Where's Nimoy when we need him? underpants Dec 2017 #8
Spontaneous Hunan Combustion is a fact Kilgore Dec 2017 #10
I recall 2naSalit Dec 2017 #12
What's the Dickens novel that has spontaneous combustion? Bleak House? bobbieinok Dec 2017 #13
Yes. murielm99 Dec 2017 #14

sl8

(16,252 posts)
5. It's definitely a real thing for oily rags & compost piles, not sure about Londoners. n/t
Sat Dec 16, 2017, 04:05 PM
Dec 2017

Binkie The Clown

(7,911 posts)
6. Animal fat, including human fat, is highly flammable.
Sat Dec 16, 2017, 04:06 PM
Dec 2017

The only question is what could possibly be the source of ignition? The word "spontaneous" kind of implies no cause, but of course there must always be a cause. Was he carrying lithium batteries in his pockets? Or a propane lighter? Or did he douse himself in gasoline on purpose? Who knows.

sl8

(16,252 posts)
9. The fire brigade found no evidence of accelerants.
Sat Dec 16, 2017, 04:14 PM
Dec 2017

Being doused with gasoline would seem unlikely.

2naSalit

(93,153 posts)
12. I recall
Sat Dec 16, 2017, 04:44 PM
Dec 2017

reading about such events back in my childhood when much of my reading was spooky tales of ghosts and strange occurrences, particularly in the north eastern region. Human combustion was one of those unexplained oddities mentioned in many sources.

I have heard of this happening in the past but I don't recall how long ago.

Have to wonder.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_human_combustion



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