In a rare case among rare cases of spontaneous combustion, a 3-month-old Indian baby has ignited ten times since he’s born.
Rahul was admitted in the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMCH) in Chennai city of India with 10-degree burn injuries because of a condition called spontaneous human combustion (SHC), according to a report by Indo-Asian New Service.
SHC remains a medical mystery with only 200 cases reported world wide in the past 300 years. Rahul’s probably the youngest to experience SHC.
The burns are reportedly caused by combustible substances emitted from the body of the baby. Many deaths have been reported in SHC cases and doctors say only caution can save the child’s life.
“The baby should be kept in a cool and aerated space and should always be kept away from inflammatory articles and never be exposed to the hot sun for long. Further, the infant should also be clothed with fire-proof attire,” said Dr Narayana Babu, Professor and Head of Paediatrics, Kilpauk Medical College, according to The New Indian Express report (TNIE).
The doctor, however, pointed out that there was a risk of the fire burning within the body. “We have specialists in skin, kidney, and burns departments monitoring the baby, besides a dedicated team of doctors monitoring his progress round the clock,” he said according to the report.
The report also mentioned another doctor from the KMCH burns ward claiming no human tissue could ignite on its own.
KMC Dean Dr P Ramakrishnan told TNIE that no conclusion has been made yet and the child is under observation to ascertain the actual cause of the fire. According to the same report, hospital sources said that the forensic study carried out on Rahul could not find any combustible gas leading to the fire on the body.
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