A coroner has found that an Irishman died of spontaneous human combustion -- the first ever case of its kind in Ireland.
Michael Faherty, 76, died in his own home and coroner Dr.Kieran Mc Loughlin stated that in his 25 years of inquests he had never come across such a cause of death, the Irish Independent reports.
Faherty’s body was badly burnt but there was absolutely no source for the flames other than spontaneous combustion.
A senior police officer and fire officer said that they had completely ruled out that he had caught fire by any outside means.
A neighbor, Tom Mannion recounted how he had heard a smoke alarm go off in Faherty’s house at about 3am in his neighborhood in Galway City on December 22nd last year.
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When he went to investigate he saw heavy smoke coming from the house. He banged repeatedly on the door but got no answer. He called police and fire services.
Police officer Gerard O'Callaghan said he found Faherty lying on his back in a sitting room, The body had been totally burnt. There was no damage to anywhere else in the house.
The policeman said he had never seen anything like it. Fire Officer Gerry O’Malley also stated he had never seen anything like it and that no fire accelerant or anything else was ever found. Though there was a fire burning in the fireplace he said it was clear it had no connection to the death
The inquest noted that his body had been completely cremated by the fire.
Dr McLoughlin stated: "This fire was thoroughly investigated and I'm left with the conclusion that this fits into the category of spontaneous human combustion, for which there is no adequate explanation."
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Friedaaaa | Sep 27, 2011, 01:22 AM EDT
I KNEW they shouldn't have bulldozed those damned Fairy Circles!
modemo44 | Sep 25, 2011, 11:11 PM EDT
Wasn't there a woman near Sligo named Beezy who died of spontaneous combustion? I remember visiting her home on an island and being told by the locals that was how she died.
merefalow | Sep 25, 2011, 06:45 AM EDT
i never believed all this false propoganda about global warming,but maybe its starting in ireland,,hee hee.
JOHNTOBIN | Sep 25, 2011, 02:51 AM EDT
Just something to add to my early report.I believe the body of the elderly lady was the only item burned in the room.Nothing else was touched.
warlocks | Sep 25, 2011, 01:25 AM EDT
IT IS A VERY STRANGE WAY TO DIE. I HAVE READ ABOUT CASES LIKE THIS BEFORE IN THE STATES. I OFTEN WONDER IF ITS A COVER UP FOR MURDER ? LETS FACE IT BEFORE A HUMAN BODY CAN START TO BURN IT WOULD TAKE A TEMP. OF OVER 200 DEGREES BEFORE IGNITION. I STILL THINK SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT .
sirpeter | Sep 24, 2011, 04:42 PM EDT
Noreen.Best be careful what you wish for.Spontaneous combustion can happen to anyone.
oldboreen | Sep 24, 2011, 12:30 PM EDT
Ps. Oh, and I've just noticed the story has ignighted sirpeter---I wish!
oldboreen | Sep 24, 2011, 12:23 PM EDT
Wow!! And it ain't even April the first yet! The ultimate 'joss'?
maryosullivan | Sep 24, 2011, 10:59 AM EDT
Any chance the doctor who claims this was spontaneous combustion is the Kenyan Witch Doctor who prayed over Sarah Plain to ensure her enemies would'nt beat her at the polls?
JOHNTOBIN | Sep 23, 2011, 09:16 PM EDT
I have heard of this type of event occuring before.Iread that there was a case,I think,in England of it happening to a elderly lady.All the authorities found was a heap of ashes.They said the heat must have been tremendious.
EphraimKibbey | Sep 23, 2011, 05:11 PM EDT
I know that rags soaked in linseed oil (use for cleaning furniture) and left in a closed environment like a garage may combust spontaneously but this sounds like an episode of the x-files.
peterson | Sep 23, 2011, 02:55 PM EDT
With all this cool weather, be careful what you pray for !!
sirpeter | Sep 23, 2011, 12:51 PM EDT
I believe fully in spontaneous human combustion.The strange thing about it is that some bodies, all that's left is ashes.The same as those Brit lovers arguments on IC. ;))
Newrone | Sep 23, 2011, 12:27 PM EDT
Oops - naughty thoughts, no question about it. Straight to the Fires of Hell he went!
(SeanB - Very entertaining! You got any more of those?)
Reilleyfam | Sep 23, 2011, 12:22 PM EDT
That Irish Temper!!
LacarourSeanB | Sep 23, 2011, 12:02 PM EDT
This is hardly nonsense. Not at all. Although indeed rare, it has been reported by entirely legitimate sources as as having occurred in various places. Obviously, Ireland isn't one of those. There's a bit more to existence on this planet than many of us think and many things that we simply do not know. Our not knowing or understanding something doesn't equate to non existence. Just ask Lorna Byrne. For those who go there, read thew Guardian article about the surprising revelation Lorna provided to the secular journalist which made a believer out of him. I understand that these two items aren't the same thing BUT they are to they extent that there are things that exist that we may not really understand. Spontaneous combustion is one of those. Facts are stubborn things as C.S Lewis reminds us. Because we may not comprehend a fact or believe it, in no way does that make a fact less real. What happened to this man certainly seems to be fact.
JackFknTwist | Sep 23, 2011, 11:31 AM EDT
What nonsense.......do your research Mr. Coronor......there is no such thing as spontaneous combustion......there is ALWAYS an ignition source.
sirpeter | Sep 23, 2011, 11:14 AM EDT
@sunspotter5.lol
MikeRock | Sep 23, 2011, 11:03 AM EDT
Jameson's
Towngate | Sep 23, 2011, 10:34 AM EDT
I thought this was the famous 'red hand of ulster' Martin McGuinness, after being asked about his shady past!
DanSpence | Sep 23, 2011, 10:18 AM EDT
Wonder if he smoked. In other cases, the person fell asleep, drop their light, and in time, caught fire. Sad.
Springfield9 | Sep 23, 2011, 10:06 AM EDT
Poteen, sure enough.
wilhoef | Sep 23, 2011, 10:03 AM EDT
A Leprechaun did it.
mcbreen | Sep 23, 2011, 09:55 AM EDT
Strange? I donno. My great uncle from Carlow was Lit most of the time.
sunspotter5 | Sep 23, 2011, 09:43 AM EDT
Hope he had spontaneous combustion insurance.
donal1951 | Sep 23, 2011, 09:36 AM EDT
I have seen barns that burned because of spontaneous combustion when the farmer making the hay didn't let it dry enough before bailing it and it fermented. But I have never heard of spontaneous human combustion. Google, here I come.
mcdolan | Sep 23, 2011, 09:20 AM EDT
OMG!