How does somebody spontaneously combust

History Vault. Recommended for you. Is the curse of King Tut real? Was Dracula a real person? Who invented the zero? Most scientists dismiss the idea that humans can catch fire for no reason. Many cases involved victims who were alone and close to a flame, such as a cigarette or candle. Often, the victims have been elderly or intoxicated, and thus unable to put out the flames. In order for anything to combust, three things are required: very high heat, a source of fuel and an oxidizing agent, which is generally the oxygen in the air.

The human body is largely composed of water, making it very difficult to burn. Some have suggested the fat in a human body could act as a fuel source, and the victim's hair or clothing might act like a candle wick — known as the wick effect.

As the fat melted, the body would burn from the inside out, leaving the surroundings intact. The only damage was to the body, which was totally burnt, the ceiling above him and the floor underneath him. Dr McLoughlin said he had consulted medical textbooks and carried out other research in an attempt to find an explanation. He said Professor Bernard Knight, in his book on forensic pathology, had written about spontaneous combustion and noted that such reported cases were almost always near an open fireplace or chimney.

Retired professor of pathology Mike Green said he had examined one suspected case in his career. He said he would not use the term spontaneous combustion, as there had to be some source of ignition, possibly a lit match or cigarette.

The woman, who was originally from Mauritius, was rushed to hospital after a passer-by stopped the fire by beating away the flames with his jacket, MailOnline reported.

State prosecutors said they are investigating the incident, which they believe could be a suicide attempt. The eyewitness accounts of the tragic incident have re-launched the debate surrounding spontaneous human combustions SHC. The apparent occurrence has never been proven, but has been linked to around incidents. SHC is used to describe instances when a human — either living or recently dead — seems to burst into flames without an external source of ignition. Gruesome photos purporting to show SHC often feature a large pile of grey ash from which a pair of legs protrude, while nearby objects appear untouched by the inferno.

Accounts often feature tales of blue flames emerging from victims.