People die in weird ways all the time, but some deaths stand out as particularly bizarre, tragic, or downright ridiculous. From overconfident stunts gone wrong to mysterious disappearances and catastrophic accidents, these cases make you question both human decision-making and the strange twists of fate. Whether it’s an unlucky lawyer testing the limits of “unbreakable” glass or a cult convinced they could hitch a ride to another star system, here are ten of the strangest documented deaths of the last 50 years.
Laughing All The Way To Morgue
Alex Mitchell’s Fatal Laughter (1975):
Alex Mitchell, a 50-year-old from Norfolk, England, died laughing while watching the television show The Goodies. A particular scene caused him to laugh uncontrollably for 25 minutes, leading to heart failure.
Fugu Fatality: When Confidence Kills
Bandō Mitsugorō VIII’s Fugu Challenge (1975):
Renowned Japanese kabuki actor Bandō Mitsugorō VIII claimed immunity to the poison of fugu (pufferfish) and consumed four livers, the most toxic part. He died from severe poisoning shortly after.
Unbreakable Window, Unstoppable Gravity
Garry Hoy’s Window Demonstration (1993):
Toronto-based lawyer Garry Hoy fell to his death while demonstrating the strength of his office’s unbreakable windows. He threw himself against a window on the 24th floor, which gave way, causing him to fall.
When Fire Meets Mystery: The Spontaneous Exit
Spontaneous Human Combustion of Michael Faherty (2010):
In December 2010, Michael Faherty, a 76-year-old man in County Galway, Ireland, was found burned to death in his home. The coroner concluded that his death fit into the category of spontaneous human combustion, as no adequate explanation was found.
Elevator to Nowhere: The Haunting of Elisa Lam
Elisa Lam’s Mysterious Death (2013):
Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old Canadian student, was found dead in a water tank atop the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles. Prior to her death, elevator surveillance footage captured her behaving erratically, leading to widespread speculation. Her death was ruled an accidental drowning, with her bipolar disorder as a contributing factor.
When Mood Lighting Turns Deadly
Death by Lava Lamp Explosion (2004):
Phillip Quinn, a 24-year-old from Kent, Washington, died when a lava lamp he was heating on a stove exploded. A shard of glass from the lamp pierced his heart, leading to his death.
The Deep Sea Disaster: Byford Dolphin’s Brutal Decompression
The Byford Dolphin Diving Bell Accident (1983):
Five divers died in a decompression chamber accident on the Byford Dolphin oil rig in the North Sea. A sudden decompression caused by a faulty procedure led to catastrophic injuries, making it one of the most gruesome diving accidents recorded.
Magnetic Tragedy: The Deadly MRI Mishap
Death of Michael Colombini (2001):
Michael Colombini, a six-year-old boy from New York, tragically died during a routine MRI scan. An oxygen tank was inadvertently brought into the MRI room, and the machine’s powerful magnetic field pulled the tank into the scanner, striking Michael in the head and causing fatal injuries.
Fatal Faith: The Cult That Aimed for the Stars
Order of the Solar Temple Mass Suicides (1994):
A cult known as the Order of the Solar Temple orchestrated mass murder-suicides in Switzerland and Canada, leading to the deaths of 74 members. The members believed they would transit to the star Sirius after death.
Frozen in Fear: The Unsolved Mystery of Dyatlov Pass
The Dyatlov Pass Incident (1959):
Nine Russian hikers died mysteriously in the Ural Mountains. Their tent was found ripped open from the inside, and their bodies exhibited signs of hypothermia alongside unexplained traumatic injuries. The incident has spurred numerous theories but remains unsolved.
The Takeaway… or Final Word
If there’s anything to take away from these stories, it’s that life—and death—can be wildly unpredictable. Some of these cases serve as cautionary tales (maybe don’t challenge deadly toxins or physics), while others remain eerie mysteries that will likely never be fully explained. Either way, they prove that truth really is stranger than fiction—and sometimes a lot darker, too.
15 Historical Events That You Will Not Believe Happened at the Same Time. Nope. Nope. Nope.
History often presents us with surprising juxtapositions of events that occurred simultaneously but seem worlds apart. We saw something on TikTok which claimed that wooly mammoths roamed the earth during the period of time that the Egyptian pyramids were built. Was that true? What other historical facts occurred at the same time that seem surprising? We took a look and found 15 instances that we really enjoyed learning about.
READ: 15 Historical Events That You Will Not Believe Happened at the Same Time. Nope. Nope. Nope.
