Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026
08:40
Rat Burn Model to Study Full-Thickness Cutaneous Thermal Burn and Infection
Published on: August 23, 2022
Ignition of a human body by a modest external source: a case report
Cristian Palmiere1, Christian Staub, Romano La Harpe
1Centre Universitaire Romand de Médecine Légale, site de Genève, 9 Avenue de Champel, 1211 Genève 4, Switzerland. Cristian.Palmiere@hcuge.ch
Forensic Science International
|May 5, 2009
Summary
A rare case of human spontaneous combustion occurred in Geneva, involving a man found incinerated in his chair. The investigation suggests a cigarette as the ignition source, with toxicological findings providing further context.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Toxicology
- Pathology
Background:
- Presents a unique case of sustained human combustion in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2006.
- Details the post-mortem examination of a man and his dog found deceased in a domestic setting.
Observation:
- The man's body was almost completely incinerated from the knees to mid-chest, with less damage to extremities and head.
- The ignition source was likely a cigarette or cigar, consuming the chair but minimally affecting other room contents.
- The dog was found deceased near the house door.
Findings:
- Toxicological analysis of the man's blood revealed low levels of desalkylflurazepam, 1.10 per thousand alcohol, 12% carboxyhaemoglobin, and 0.05 mg/L cyanide.
- The dog's blood showed significantly elevated carboxyhaemoglobin levels at 65%.
Implications:
- Highlights the phenomenon of human spontaneous combustion and its potential contributing factors.
- Underscores the importance of thorough toxicological and forensic investigation in unexplained deaths.
- Provides data for understanding combustion dynamics in domestic fires involving human remains.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Burn Injuries
Burn injuries occur when the skin and underlying tissues are damaged due to exposure to heat, electricity, chemicals, radiation, or friction. They can vary in severity, from minor superficial burns to severe deep burns that can be life-threatening.
The damage results in the death of skin cells, which can lead to a massive loss of fluid. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and renal and circulatory failure follow, which can be fatal. Burn patients are treated with intravenous fluids to offset...
The damage results in the death of skin cells, which can lead to a massive loss of fluid. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and renal and circulatory failure follow, which can be fatal. Burn patients are treated with intravenous fluids to offset...
01:14Design Example: Automobile Ignition System
The automobile's ignition system plays a vital role by ensuring the timely ignition of the fuel-air mixture in each cylinder. This ignition is facilitated by a spark plug, which is composed of two electrodes separated by an air gap. A spark forms across this air gap when a substantial voltage is generated between the electrodes, leading to the ignition of the fuel.
One can generate a large voltage using a car battery of 12 volts with the help of inductors. Inductors are known for opposing rapid...
One can generate a large voltage using a car battery of 12 volts with the help of inductors. Inductors are known for opposing rapid...
01:29Decreased Body Temperature
A decreased body temperature can occur in patients with hypothermia and frostbite. Heat loss with extended cold exposure overpowers the body's ability to create heat, resulting in hypothermia. Core temperature readings help classify hypothermia. Mild hypothermia is temperatures between 32 °C (89.6 °F) and 35°C (95 °F) and is caused by impaired thermoregulation. Moderate hypothermia is temperatures between 28 C (82.4 °F) and 32 °C (89.6 °F) caused by sustained extreme cold exposure, and severe...
02:12Enthalpy and Heat of Reaction
Combustion, commonly known as burning, is a reaction in which a substance reacts with an oxidizing agent, which in most cases is molecular oxygen, to liberate energy in the form of heat, light, or sound. The heat of combustion is also known as the enthalpy of combustion. The energy released when one mole of a substance undergoes complete combustion at constant pressure is called molar heat of combustion. Combustion reactions are exothermic; that is, they release energy, and their ΔH sign...
01:20Internal Combustion Engine
The internal combustion engine is a heat engine that uses the byproducts of combustion as the working fluid instead of using a heat transfer medium to transfer heat. The combustion is done in a way that produces high-pressure combustion products that can be expanded through a turbine or piston to create work. Internal combustion engines can again be categorized into three kinds: (1) spark ignition gasoline engines, most commonly used in automobiles, (2) compression ignition diesel engines that...
01:00Cellular Injury I: Introduction
Cellular injury occurs when a cell cannot maintain homeostasis or adapt to stressors such as hypoxia, toxins, or trauma. Depending on severity and duration, injury may be reversible, allowing recovery, or irreversible, leading to cell death.General Mechanisms of Cell InjuryAlthough causes vary, most cellular injuries arise from a few key mechanisms that disrupt essential functions and often amplify one another. Cell survival depends on the extent and balance of these disturbances.ATP depletion...