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Old 06-08-2017, 10:26 AM   #5614
footfootfoot
To shreds, you say?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet!
Posts: 18,449
Bitman gets 100 for dedication to humor!

Note: Human bodies, despite being mostly water by weight, are actually very flammable and not recommended for extinguishing fires. (source: acquaintance who caught fire and survived.)

Also cf: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponta...man_combustion
Quote:
The "wick effect" hypothesis suggests that a small external flame source, such as a burning cigarette, chars the clothing of the victim at a location, splitting the skin and releasing subcutaneous fat, which is in turn absorbed into the burned clothing, acting as a wick. This combustion can continue for as long as the fuel is available. This hypothesis has been successfully tested with animal tissue (pig) and is consistent with evidence recovered from cases of human combustion.[17][18] The human body typically has enough stored energy in fat and other chemical stores to fully combust the body; even lean people have several pounds of fat in their tissues. This fat, once heated by the burning clothing, wicks into the clothing much as candle wax (which typically was originally made of animal fat) wicks into a lit candle wick to provide the fuel needed to keep the wick burning.[19] The protein in the body also burns, but provides less energy than fat, with the water in the body being the main impediment to combustion. However, slow combustion, lasting hours, gives the water time to evaporate slowly. In an enclosed area, such as a house, this moisture will recondense nearby, such as on windows.[citation needed] Note that feet often have the least fat, so don't typically burn. (Hands also have little fat, but may burn if on the abdomen, which provides all the needed fat.)
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