There has been major redevelopment of the area and the small copse that existed was wiped out some years ago by a major road scheme linking the M11 with the east side of London. It was here that a woman in her late thirties or maybe early forties decided to end her life. I'm talking about an area not far from the Green Man Roundabout in Leytonsone London E11.
Many years ago I was despatched to a call near the roundabout. The location given wasn't very specific. Call details were sparse. Nevertheless we rushed to the area which was barely half a mile from the ambulance station. On arrival we were unable to find our patient until someone came running out of the aforementioned copse frantically waving their arms. It wasn't somewhere that we could access with the vehicle.
We quickly gathered up equipment we felt we might need and followed the bystander into the undergrowth! It's difficult to be accurate but after about 50 to 100 yards we entered a clearing. There lying on the ground in front of us was a person. It was difficult to say if they were male or female. I went and knelt at the patients side. The patient was female and she was trying to talk but couldn't.
The whole of her body was burnt, almost 100% full thickness burns. The only part of her not burnt were the soles of her feet. Her skin was blackened and I remember hard to the touch. Her eyes had gone and remnants of clothing had become part of her skin and yet when I got down alongside of her face, she was trying to tell me something. Unfortunately I was unable to make out what it was she was trying to say. Her airways and larynx had also been irreparably damaged and prevented her from making sound. I was amazed that she was still alive. It was my belief that at this point she was beyond pain.
There was very little that we could do for this unfortunate soul. We placed her on a sterile sheet and managed to lift her from the floor wrapped in the sheet directly onto our stretcher. We removed her to the ambulance and placed a Blue call via our control to Whipps x Hospital which was about 3 minutes away.
At the hospital she was rushed into the resuscitation room where she died about 15-20 minutes later. I think the Morphine that she received helped to reduce any suffering and ease her departure.
We discovered later that she had walked into that clearing in the woods carrying a gallon can of Paraffin. She poured the contents over her head and then set fire to herself. She then just stood there and burned until she collapsed in a heap on the ground.
I often wonder what it was she was trying to tell me. I also wonder what in her life was so agonising that she chose to end it in such a horrific way!
Utter despair! I will never forget!
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