SPONTANEOUS HUMAN COMBUSTION

SPONTANEOUS HUMAN COMBUSTION

In the case of Dr John Irving Bentley, who died at Coudersport (Pennsylvania) on 5 December 1966, a source of fire was known, but there is still some mystery surrounding the case.

The victim was a 92 year old retired doctor, who moved with the aid of a walking frame. He was a pipe-smoker, and it was theorised that sparks from either his pipe or his matches ignited his dressing gown. He then went into the bathroom, where that garment was later found smouldering in the bathtub. But since he managed to remove the burning clothing, why did he then die? As the photograph shows, very little of Dr Bentley was left when he was discovered next morning by the gas meter reader.

The burning was confined to a small area of the floor which burned through, and a pile of ash was found in the basement below. A sooty film covered the bathroom window, and the man who was first on the scene noticed no smell of burning flesh, only a light blue smoke that smelled 'somewhat sweet' or like 'an oil film burning'.

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