Sustained combustion of an animal carcass and its implications for the consumption of human bodies in fires

When a human body is found with significant portions of its torso and limbs destroyed yet with comparatively minor damage to head, hands and feet, the mechanism of such destruction defies ready explanation, since exposure to external fires, particularly those involving flammable liquids, usually res ults in the destruction of hands, feet, limbs, and head prior to significan t combustion of the large mass of the torso. Previous tests by these author s have demonstrated the conditions necessary to promote combustion of a bod y: the presence of adequate body fat, presence of a porous, rigid char to a ct as a wick, and an external flame source sustained for several minutes to char the body and cause the subcutaneous fat to begin rendering. In the test reported here, a freshly-slaughtered pig carcass with a net wei ght of 215 lb. (95 kg) was wrapped in a cotton blanket and placed on a carp et-covered plywood panel. The fire was initiated using 1 L of gasoline pour ed on the shoulder area of the blanket-wrapped carcass. The gasoline burned off within 4 min, having ignited a large area of the blanket and adjoining carpet. Flames from those fuel packages resulted in the establishment of a steady-state fire sustained by the rendering of the body fat, with the nec essary wick provided by the charred cotton blanket and carpet. The heat rel ease rate of this fire was 60 +/- 10 kW, with flames less than 12 in. (0.35 in) high for its duration. The Fire sustained itself by the rendering proc ess for more than 6(1)/(2) h from ignition, at which time it was extinguish ed. An average mass loss rate of 1.5 g/s (5.3 kg/h) was observed during the self-sustained fire. Extensive destruction of the carcass (more than 60% b y weight) included reduction of large bones to a fragile, ashen state. Othe r test data will demonstrate the similarity between subcutaneous fat from h uman and porcine sources. The implications for the reconstruction of accide ntal and homicidal fires involving such destruction will be discussed.