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Spontaneous Human Combustion

Bodies reduced to ash while the room remains unburned. Legs intact. A pile of ash where a person sat. Spontaneous Human Combustion has been documented for centuries.

1663 - Present
Worldwide
200+ witnesses

Spontaneous Human Combustion (SHC) refers to cases where human bodies appear to burn from an internal source.

Famous Cases

Mary Reeser (1951): Found as ash in her chair.

Dr. John Irving Bentley (1966): Only his lower leg found.

Michael Faherty (2010): Irish case, coroner ruled SHC.

Scientific Explanation

The “wick effect” may explain the phenomenon.

Sources