If you were still alive when your body was rolled into the furnace, how long would it take for the fire to kill you? Seconds? Minutes? Do they get the fire going really hot before they place a body inside?
Now I want to be poked with a pointy stick before they put the lid on my box!
Like most deadly fires, I suspect you would die of smoke inhalation before being burned to death. That’ll depend on how fast the smoke can get into your enclosure/coffin, which will depend in part on how intense the flames are in the crematorium. WAG, a few minutes from the start.
I believe it is common in cases of cremation for the body to be displayed in a ‘rental’ coffin which is re-used. The body itself may enter the cremation process in a simple box that may not produce sufficient fumes to allow for smoke inhalation to be the cause of death. With the extreme temperatures produced during cremation it would only take seconds for death to occur if the body was put into the oven after it was up to full temperature, i’m not sure if this is the case though, the body may be put in before the chamber is heated.
I’m not liking what I’m hearing. Off to Wiki.
Wiki is reassuring:
“Modern cremators are computer-controlled to ensure legal and safe use; e.g., the door cannot be opened until the cremator has reached its operating temperature. The coffin or container is inserted (charged) into the retort as quickly as possible to avoid heat loss through the top-opening door. The container may be on a charger (motorized trolley) that can quickly insert the container, or one that can tilt and tip the container into the cremator.”
So it sounds like they preheat the oven. It makes sense, for several reasons.
So, Ivan, looks like the stick poking might not be necessary.
Thanks for the responses! 
The serial killer in “The Devil in the White City” killed using a crematorium. There was one victim they said who had left hand and foot prints, as if she tried to get the lid off. Don’t know if he preheated though. . .
It’s been a long time since I read that book, but for some reason the images of those hand and foot prints stuck with me. I think because as I read it reminded me of those little plaques that children make for their parents. ::shudders::
Yes. The crematorium has to be up to temperature before anything goes in, else the burn won’t be very efficient and produce lots and LOTS of black smoke. Which will get the local air quality folks Very Upset with you, and the neighbors won’t be happy with you either.
I think James Bond escaped cremation (with some help from Shady Tree) in Diamonds Are Forever, so the system can’t be all that foolproof…everything was burning around him and all, and then he managed to get out.
Do they insert one of those pop-up gizmos in your belly so they know when you’re done?