Curious Cases We Didn't Start the Fire
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Oct 31, 2025 
Join Professor Andrea Sella, an inorganic chemistry expert from University College London, and fire investigation officer Matt Oakley as they ignite a spirited conversation about spontaneous combustion. Sella reveals how oily rags can spontaneously ignite, while Oakley shares alarming statistics on lithium battery fires and the potential dangers they pose. Discover the fascinating science behind self-heating materials and why certain everyday items can catch fire without a spark, plus the chilling debate on whether spontaneous human combustion is real.
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How 'Spontaneous' Combustion Actually Starts
- Combustion can self-start when fuel and oxygen react slowly and the reaction produces enough heat to cross a threshold.
- That internal heating replaces an external spark and can lead to sudden flames without outside ignition.
Rags Smouldering Under Fire Island Steps
- Andrea Sella recounts smelling smoke at a Fire Island house and finding stored oil-soaked rags smouldering under stairs.
- The rags' slow oxidation had warmed them until a self-sustaining fire began.
Hay And Grass Can Heat Themselves
- Organic piles like grass and hay can self-heat via microbial fermentation plus oxidation.
- That internal biological heating can push compressed material to temperatures that ignite it.
