An elderly South Carolina couple were tragically boiled alive in their home’s basement when temperatures reached 1,000 degrees.
Concerned about the cold, Joan Littlejohn, 84, and her partner Glennwood Fowler, 82, turned their radiator up to a fatal high. The discovery came three days after the couple had complained they were having trouble with their heating.
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Alarmed by the lack of contact for several days family went to the home and made the horrifying discovery. The couple were found dead in their home in January 2024, three days after family had not heard from them. Authorities reported temperatures inside were “extremely hot.” Glennwood was found unclothed on the bed, while Joan was sitting next to him.
Autopsies ruled out carbon monoxide as a cause, noting their body temperatures exceeded 106 degrees – beyond what could be measured. They also checked for carbon dioxide levels, which weren’t particularly high, according to the police report.
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A paramedic found the bodies in the bedroom after entering through an unlocked window, authorities said. However, the medical professional could not even measure the temperature of the couple’s paramedic couldn’t accurately measure the body temperatures becuase they exceeded the thermometer’s maximum measurement of 106F.
Braving the searing heat, fire officials disclosed that a home maintained a sweltering temperature above 120 degrees, even after letting in the chilly air for roughly 20 minutes. A firefighter remarked: “The heater was so hot it looked as if the basement was currently on fire.”
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Crews kept the house ventilated to dissipate the potent odor of natural gas, with the thermometer resuming operation before their departure.
Reflecting on the incident, the responding officer recorded: “Upon looking at it, I stated the residence was at 96 degrees. It read this temperature after the house had been open for around two and a half hours.”
* Original Article:
https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/elderly-couple-boiled-alive-south-1239725