You mean things like varnish, shellac and the like? That does sound rather stupid of them. It’s easy to get a dulled sense of smell to the volatiles. I guess the poor smoker got blasted, huh.
Yes a lot of the finishes and oils will spontaneously combust given some volume and insulation.
Those painters work “high” all day and tend to have a short life. Not much different from huffing paint all day.
I remember one guy died but don’t remember the outcome for the rest.
HIPPA prevents us from finding out what happens to many of our patients unless we ask the medical director to inquire with the hospital and get back to us.