Elderly couple in Spartanburg, SC found dead from heatstroke after their home heater reaches 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit

[ifindedout]

Elderly couple found dead in South Carolina bedroom after home heater reached 1,000 degrees

"One firefighter stated the heater was so hot it looked as if the basement was currently on fire," the police report said of the incident that left Joan Littlejohn and Glennwood Fowler dead.

www.cbsnews.com

Two elderly people in South Carolina were found dead in a bedroom during a wellness check last week, with police saying that the home's heater had reached 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit – so hot the victims' bodies had exceeded 106 degrees.

In a police report obtained by CBS News, an officer said that he went to their residence on Jan. 6 to conduct a wellness check after their family had not heard from them in three days. Officers had to enter the home through the bedroom window, at which point the pair – 84-year-old Joan Littlejohn and 82-year-old Glennwood Fowler – were found dead in their bed. There were no signs of a struggle or foul play.

[...]

Upon speaking to the victims' family, the responding officer learned that hot water heater and heater "both were out and the residence was getting too cold" the last day the family saw the pair. The family ended up "fiddling" with the hot water heater, and family members left the home.

 

[airportwoman]

This sounds like a lot of things malfunctioned at once.

 

[Elley Mae]

Woke up a bit ago hot, turned fan on and heard hubby up. He’s checking thermostat and says he can’t read it, no display.
I popped the face off and he said the batteries are old. Found two new ones, the whole time the furnace is running. Gets the batteries in snaps back on and the temperature is 85 we keep it on 73.

Just made me think of this case.

 

[investikater]

1000 fahrenheit = 538 celsius

106 fahrenheit = 41 celsius

120 fahrenheit = 49 celsius

 

[investikater]

"Upon speaking to the victims' family, the responding officer learned that hot water heater and heater "both were out and the residence was getting too cold" the last day the family saw the pair. The family ended up "fiddling" with the hot water heater, and family members left the home. "

Wtf did they do?
Even if they deactivated, bypassed or removed thermostats and cut-off devices, how would a heater and a hot water heater even be capable of reaching that temperature?
Domestic ovens tap out at about half that.

I wish it said what the power/fuel source was.

 

[AmandaSkis]

I’m also confused! How would a hot water heater have an impact?

 

[LadyL]

this is very confusing and sad
those family members who 'fiddled' with settings will likely blame themselves

 

[ifindedout]

Wtf did they do?
Even if they deactivated, bypassed or removed thermostats and cut-off devices, how would a heater and a hot water heater even be capable of reaching that temperature?
Domestic ovens tap out at about half that.

I wish it said what the power/fuel source was.

Gas.

Couple dead in South Carolina home where heater reached 1,000 degrees

An elderly immobile couple was found dead in their 'extremely hot' South Carolina house after their heater reached 1,000 degrees.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Littlejohn and Fowler's family members revealed that they had visited the couple a few days earlier to help the elderly couple with heating issues.

They reported 'fiddling' with the heater because both the gas heater and gas hot water heater were out and the home was getting 'too cold,' according to the report.

Family members 'fiddled' with the heater until the pilot light, which was reportedly off, flashed back on - and then they left.

The elderly couple were said to be immobile and had both recently suffered health problems.

The local Fox station gets a little more specific, reporting that the relatives were fiddling with the wiring:

Report: Heater was over 1,000 degrees in Upstate home where couple died

The Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office is investigating after two elderly victims were found deceased in a home on Saturday.

www.foxcarolina.com

According to the report, family members said the home had not been heating properly and they “fiddled” with the wiring near the pilot light in the days before the incident.

“If there was a malfunction in the heater itself and they quote messed with it, then you could have bypassed a safety feature or caused the situation to get worse. It could have produced carbon monoxide, it could have caused it to overheat like that,” [Assistant Fire Chief Brad] Hall said.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I think people often try to do their own electric "work," because hiring someone who is licensed is so expensive, and it can be very difficult to find someone. It's scary to read what the result can be.
1000 degrees? How does that not lead to a fire or explosion? So glad it didn't, though.

I send my sincere condolences to this family.

 

[investikater]

I’m also confused! How would a hot water heater have an impact?

I think they had what is called a boiler and radiator in the UK, I don't know what they are called in the US and I've never even seen one in Australia
Anyway I think they are like steam powered heating systems, where you have a central water tank in a basement for example that boils water and the steam goes up pipes into radiators in each room.

Looks pretty safe and efficient if maintained properly

 

[wendybtn]

Immobile couple? Left in bed with people checking on them every few days? Doesn't sound kosher to me.

 

[Springrain]

I'm so confused by a LOT of things here.

 

[wendybtn]

If my parents were immobile, due to recent surgeries or recent falls, I would either be there or have them in a care home to monitor their conditions. More likely be there til the acute phase was over.

 

[ifindedout]

I think people often try to do their own electric "work," because hiring someone who is licensed is so expensive, and it can be very difficult to find someone. It's scary to read what the result can be.
1000 degrees? How does that not lead to a fire or explosion? So glad it didn't, though.

SBM
1000 F is within 100 degrees of initiating flashover, I was astonished the whole house didn't spontaneously combust.

Flashover - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[annpats]

The 1000°F or 538°C is ridiculous..
That temperature would melt some metals, let alone plastics, wood and furnishings in the house. Surely something would have been set alight. Or the house would have collapsed, where everything melted.

I think maybe the 1000°F/538°C is over-estimated. Because it just can't be correct.

 

[acutename]

The 1000°F or 538°C is ridiculous..
That temperature would melt some metals, let alone plastics, wood and furnishings in the house. Surely something would have been set alight. Or the house would have collapsed, where everything melted.

I think maybe the 1000°F/538°C is over-estimated. Because it just can't be correct.

remember:

Fahrenheit 451​

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Fahrenheit_451




Fahrenheit 451 is a 1953 dystopian novel by American writer Ray Bradbury. It presents a future American society where books have been outlawed and "firemen" ...


burns paper

 

[mickey2942]

I would think that number is incorrect, because the house would have been a raging fire at that heat. Flashpoint.

 

[mickey2942]

I would think that number is incorrect, because the house would have been a raging fire at that heat. Flashpoint.

Couple found dead in sweltering South Carolina home as heater reached a blazing 1,000 degrees

The couple had complained that their furnace and hot water heater were not working, so family members came to their home and “fiddled” with it until the pilot light on the heater turned…

nypost.com

This explains it, but I still can't believe that the house didn't start burning at that temp.