title: Carboxyhemoglobin levels in a series of automobile fires. Death due to crash or fire?
abstract: The determination of death by trauma versus fire can be of major consideration, especially in civil product liability litigation. Blood carboxyhemoglobin levels can be instrumental in that differentiation. Twenty-eight fatalities involving fire in automobiles were reviewed. All subjects displayed some degree of body burn, and in 25 severe charring and/or incineration was present at autopsy. In only one case was there a history of explosion or flash fire. Carboxyhemoglobin levels varied from 92% to values of < 10%. In seven cases no collision occurred. In six of these subjects COHb values were > or = 47%. In all 16 cases with carboxyhemoglobin levels of < or = 10% a collision occurred. In 12 of 16 of these subjects, blunt force injury sufficient to cause death was discovered. Data presented in this article indicate that a carboxyhemoglobin level of > 30% strongly suggests inhalation of combustion products as the cause of death. In contrast, a level of < 20% should prompt a search for other causes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Forensic Pathology, Indiana University, Indianapolis 46202-5120, USA.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Wirthwein
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Pless
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000097:blood; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin