I worked in forensics (Romania) and had some extensive crime scene experience. Most of people warm themselves in the winter with butane gas which has a typical smell due to an intentional alteration that would detect its presence in the environment; otherwise, nobody would notice that there is butane gas around and accidents would happen at any step. The open flame that burns the gas usually comes at night in lower pressure, hence, the high risk of suffocation in which the CO2 burns the oxygen of a room. Ever noticed that when you breathe under the blanket, you need at one point to get air because you can’t breathe anymore? That’s how it would feel in a coffin (theoretically). It is true that without ventilation of oxygen from outdoors, people die quickly. The “lucky” ones wake up and don’t make it to the door or window because their central nervous system is annihilated completely. Those who completely succumb to this type of death don’t know that it’s happening to them as they die in their sleep. It’s kind of like the sleepiness feeling taking over when being a passenger in a car, or a buss, especially if toxic exhaust is infiltrating into the cabin. Opening the windows is a must. Knowledge IS power and also the answer over fear in an emergency.

I saw the movie “Buried” the other day and was really upset with their forensic counselor whose application in the movie might be applied by those who happen to unfortunately be in such a terrible situation just by association. The open flame was a certain no-no. The sad part that i couldn’t believe passed the scrutiny for the movie release is the idiotic system of dealing with automatic machines and people who don’t take emergency calls seriously, considering them hoax calls. The US Coast Guard takes plenty of such calls on a daily basis but the Federal fines are stating the importance of not taking assets and personnel from real emergencies to jokes. In the movie, to add to the injury, the contractor’s liability release recording was an offense in the face of any American; it’s sad that we could arrive to such situations where people in dire situations would agree to record such statements. I, for one, would not have wasted my energy, oxygen and phone battery on such a thing as soon as the guy mentioned the recording. However, I liked that the military avenged Paul even though it was not the best choice of survival for him.

I am slowly reading survival books but the movie frightened me and followed my thoughts for few days. I like the idea of safety measures in a coffin that do not depend of someone else’s vigilance while on/ off guard.

Great debate on this article. My thanks to its author!

I have a question though about asphyxiation.I had read when I was younger that a family was travelling with a camper on their truck and the kids were in the camper as they drove. Apparently it was tightly made, all the vents and windows were sealed and over a long portion of the car ride the oxygen was used up. The children had fallen to sleep, and died in their sleep from lack of oxygen.

Terribly sad story, but that doesn’t sound like a terrible way to die to me. Is it just a lie?