Demostrative suicides by fire in economic crisis time. Report of two cases.

摘要

Suicide by fire is an uncommon way among all suicide methods. The manner of death by fire can besuicide, homicide or accident. Two cases of demonstrative suicides by fire are presented. Both very close in timeand place. They occurred in Southern Italy in 2011, both very close in time and place. Unemployment andpersonal financial problems due to Italian economic crisis spread, were the causes of the insane act. The firstcase describes a man found burned and decomposed in the countryside two days after his disappearance. Theautopsy, performed to exclude homicidal events, revealed carbon monoxide poisoning as the cause of death. Along surviving time was also documented. The second case describes a man that set himself to fire in the mainsquare of his town. Personal economic problems were the cause of the demonstrative suicide performed in frontof a crowd of standing people. He died for complications of extensive burns after twelve days of hospitalization.The external examination was sufficient to detect cause and manner of death.