Spontaneous Human Combustion?

[sp1814]

I’ve never believed in it, but I can’t think of a reason for this to have happened.

Any ideas?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/man-catches-fire-dies-london-street-haringey-john-nolan-70-age-police-appeal-metropolitan-a8111901.html

[Old_Geezer]

Thinking something can happen then realising there are alternative explanations is somewhat different than blindly claiming something will never be achieved then finding someone manages it.

No one had seen someone combust spontaneously; there's just tales where someone finds a situation and fails to realise a better explanation. IMO it's beyond reasonable doubt that there's no such phenomenon.

[alavahalf]

From my observation it often happens to an Irishman and in no way am I making fun of the Irish, but many years ago I was present at the time of such an event.
I know this is a serious thread, but my experience throws a bit of humor on it and really was a comedy sketch in the making when I look back at it.
True story ..
A friend of mine, an Irish chap called Pat was complaining about the lighter he had bought earlier that day .. it wasn't working. I asked him if there was fuel in it. He said it was "full of fuel" as it could be seen through the clear casing of the lighter. Sure enough I could see the liquid when he held it up for me to see.
I then asked him if it had a spark .. he then held it up again and rolled the wheel on top of the lighter .. sure enough it had a spark.
I then asked him if he could hear the fuel getting through ... he held the lighter pointing into his ear for a good few seconds before nodding and saying "yes, the fuel is getting through, I can hear it hissing".
He then rolled the igniter once more to listen for a spark without removing the lighter from his ear.
Talk about instantaneous combustion .. his ear and hair caught fire instantly ... all I could think of .. throw half a pint of Guiness at him before wrapping his head in my jacket with him writhing in agony squirming on the pub floor. Within seconds the barman is running down the pub shouting " your barred"...

The end result .. Pat lost his hearing for a week or so and I was allowed back in the pub.
Pat started using matches after that !