Carbon monoxide suicide by charcoal-burning: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Charcoal burning (CB) suicide is an old method that revived and has clearly become prevalent across several countries, as considered “soft” and “painless”. This alarming spread is induced by the contagious effect of suicidal behaviors. Internet and suicide web forums may play, unfortunately, a crucial role in promoting this suicide's method. In this paper, we present the first documented case of CB suicide in Tunisia and probably in all African countries. Thereupon, we report a case of a young man suicide and we detail the forensic investigation findings. In order to prevent a potential epidemic spread, this form of suicide should require further attention not only in regions where it is already recognized but also in countries where it is not yet prevalent.

The evolution of charcoal-burning suicide: A systematic scoping review

“…Suicide by charcoal burning in other countries seems relatively rare. Apart from the case reports from the four abovementioned Asian regions (Pan et al, 2009), other reports documented that charcoal burning suicide cases occurred in the Mainland China (Chen et al, 2019; Li et al, 2015, 2018; Lu et al, 2016), Macao, Malaysia, Thailand (Chang et al, 2014), Singapore (Chia et al, 2011), Czech Republic (Janík et al, 2017), Switzerland (Laberke et al, 2011), North Ireland (Lyness and Crane, 2011), Denmark (Nielsen et al, 2014), Tunisia (Nouma, 2021), Britain (Patel, 2008), Italy (Rossi et al, 2011) and Scotland (Brooks-Lim and Sadler, 2009). In addition, a study focusing on suicide by gases in England and Wales from 2001 to 2011 identified 38 suicide cases with charcoal burning (Gunnell et al, 2015).…”