can one suddenly catch fire without any one putting a fire on him or her?

Answer 1

Spontaneous Human Combustion....these occurences have always been traced back to some sort of external heat source. No, the human body cannot self combust.

Answer 2

Yes.

1. Chemical reactions, such as sodium and water, can create fire without any fire being present. Trying to hold a bar of sodium in your hand would catch you on fire as the water in your skin reacted with it.

There are other conditions where theings are just right for a fire to suddenly start- it is called 'sontaneous combustion'. A pile of oily rags can just burst into flames under the right circumstances.

2. There are ways to create enough heat in an area to start a flame- magnifying glass, electrical current, microwave radiation, etc.

3. Spontaneous Human Combustion (SHD) is a hotly debated topic. Most of those who study it feel it is nothing more than a slow fire, started by normal processes, that feeds on the body's fats like an oil-burning lamp.

Studies done with pigs, etc. demonstrate that someone wearing flammable clothing, who is somehow rendered unaware (drunk, unconscious, etc.), and who has a ready supply of body fats will easily catch fire if a fire source is nearby (fireplace, cigarette, etc.)

The small flame on the clothing begins to melt body fats, which saturate the cloth and turns it into a wick. Now the process can run by itself- the flame keeps feeding on the fats, turning more and more of the cloth to a wick.

The studies have shown that even this rather small, cool flame will devour almost all bodily tissue except the biggest bones- and even they will shrivel. Because the fire is rather cool, it does not spread or damage too much outside the 'hot zone'- but that it does leave a lot of soot.

Now- almost every case of SHC has certain elements in common:
- victim was large
- victim was drunk or unconscious
- victim was either a smoker or near a flame source
- little was damaged outside the area of the body
- sometimes, an arm or leg survives (by having been flung outside the hot zone)
- sometimes bones are found badly shriveled or reduced to chalk
- there is a lot of soot.

Some people still fight this theory claiming that high heat is needed to burn a body in a crematroria. This is only because they are trying to do it fast. Again, studies prove that a slow, cool fire can do the same thing over time.

Another counter-arguement is that it sometimes happens outside of the norm- no fire source, victim was awake and moving, etc. The most likely situation here is that either some facts are missing (or things were consumed in the flames), or that it was not SHC and was some other phenomena instead.

Answer 3

Spotanious Human Combustion......

Not very common but it does happen. Something to do with the chemicals in the body

Answer 4

yes this could happen, but it is very rare. Mostly caused by a severe chemical imbalance in the body. You should be okay, unless you are damp bale of hay in the hot sun! but hey if you are still unsure carry around a pale of water.

Answer 5

there have been rare cases of ppl having fires start on them for no reason in other countries. thier body heat is so hot it causes thier body to catch on fire that is the only reason i ever heard of

Answer 6

it is called Spontaneous Human Combustion

Answer 7

I had heard of this before.

But recently I heard an explanation when it happens in surgery. Think about it, oxygen is very combusible, and they explained it has to do with electrical equipment, oxygen and other dangerous chemicals.

Answer 8

Spotanious Human Combustion....It is rare and they are not exactly sure what causes it. Why do you ask ?

Answer 9

i believe its called spontaneous combustion

Answer 10

spontaneous combustion? who knows...it could be possible