A story you may have heard before: a person is found fatally burned with no apparent fuel or ignition source. With no better explanation for how the fire started, investigators conclude that the person must have caught fire spontaneously. Although the details can vary, this story is an urban legend that has surfaced periodically for the past several decades, commonly known as "spontaneous human combustion."

This legend does have some basis in reality. There have been several cases over the years where a burned body was found with no apparent ignition source. One of the most common details of these stories is that there was little fire damage to the body's surroundings, giving the appearance that the only thing burning was the person. Some versions of the story specify that only part of the victim's body was completely destroyed, with some parts almost intact.

The eeriness of this phenomenon has given rise to a number of fanciful explanations. Some people pass the blame onto extraterrestrials and other paranormal phenomena. Others look for elaborate pseudo-scientific explanations, like bodily electricity igniting intestinal gases. Unfortunately for those looking for otherworldly explanations, nearly all of the details common to these stories have a simple, mundane explanation.

Since at least the 1960s, there has been a theory that explains the damage patterns observed in supposed cases of spontaneous human combustion. This is known as the wick effect theory: when a person's clothing catches fire due to a cigarette, say, the fire eventually melts the person's fat. The clothing then functions similarly to the wick in a candle, allowing the fire to sustain itself for hours at high temperature. The resulting fire damage then shows all the properties reported in the myths.

One problem complicating this explanation is that spontaneous combustion in a general sense can happen. Wet hay, for example, can generate enough heat as it decomposes to catch itself on fire. But many of the victims of SHC have been elderly smokers, and may have simply had a heart attack or stroke while smoking. In other cases, electric blankets may have been involved.

It is a tragic fact that fire, in whatever form, claims the lives of thousands of people every year. The myth of spontaneous human combustion, however, has been disproved. Rather than looking for paranormal explanations for fire deaths, it is instead better to look for concrete, everyday explanations.

If a loved one has died in an apparent case of spontaneous human combustion, and no factors like cigarettes or candles are to blame, this person might be the tragic victim of a malfunctioning appliance or other device. Should fire investigators rule that a dangerous product design or maintenance problem is at fault, you may be able to sue for restitution.

Any dangerous product that can lead to fire death should be taken off the market immediately and those responsible should be brought to justice. A skilled personal injury lawyer can help you find peace of mind after the tragic loss of a loved one. The experienced Chicago personal injury lawyers of Friedman & Bonebrake, PC can help you. Contact them today to discuss your case and learn how they can help.