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

[sl8]

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.

[dawg day]

1. Was he a drummer for Spinal tap?

[sl8]

2. .

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. You beat me to it...

[shenmue]

3. Spontaneous combustion?

[ClarendonDem]

4. That was my thought

But also thought that was a myth?

[sl8]

5. It's definitely a real thing for oily rags & compost piles, not sure about Londoners. n/t

[shenmue]

11. Do people explode in London more than anywhere else?

[Binkie The Clown]

6. Animal fat, including human fat, is highly flammable.

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]

9. The fire brigade found no evidence of accelerants.

Being doused with gasoline would seem unlikely.

[underpants]

8. Where's Nimoy when we need him?

[Kilgore]

10. Spontaneous Hunan Combustion is a fact

I saw it in the X-Files

[2naSalit]

12. I recall

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

[bobbieinok]

13. What's the Dickens novel that has spontaneous combustion? Bleak House?

[murielm99]

14. Yes.

His name was Krook.