A heartbreaking event unfolded on Friday morning at a healthcare facility in suburban Detroit.
An explosion within a pressurized oxygen chamber led to the tragic death of a 5-year-old boy and left his mother injured.
The incident happened around 8 a.m. at the Oxford Center, situated in Troy, Michigan.
Incident Details
The little boy, who lived in Royal Oak, Michigan, was undergoing treatment inside the hyperbaric chamber at the time of the explosion and was pronounced dead on the scene.
His mother, who was nearby, suffered injuries to her arms.
Troy Police Lieutenant Ben Hancock noted that the reasons for the child’s treatment at the center remain unconfirmed.
Understanding Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, commonly used for various medical conditions, involves breathing pure oxygen in a high-pressure setting, which increases the amount of oxygen delivered throughout the body.
The Mayo Clinic highlights this therapy’s effectiveness in treating issues like decompression sickness, severe tissue injuries, carbon monoxide poisoning, air bubbles in blood vessels, and radiation-related injuries.
Lieutenant Keith Young from the Troy Fire Department elaborated on the nature of hyperbaric chambers, stating they contain 100% oxygen, significantly denser than regular air—up to five times more so.
He pointed out that such high concentrations of oxygen in a pressurized environment heighten the risk of combustion.
As investigations into the incident proceed, Young emphasized that explosions of this nature are extremely rare, leaving the specific cause still a mystery.
Response and Investigation
Fortunately, despite staff presence at the facility during the explosion, no additional injuries were reported.
The explosion was confined to the chamber, and firefighters were dispatched to tackle a fire that erupted in the room.
In a statement shared via email, the Oxford Center expressed its deep commitment to patient safety and wellbeing.
They described the incident as unprecedented in their operation of over 15 years of providing hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
The center admitted to being unaware of the explosion’s causes and pledged full cooperation with the ongoing inquiries.
Lieutenant Young confirmed that the state will take charge of the investigation into the explosion and the subsequent fire, as efforts to uncover the reasons behind this tragic occurrence continue.
Source: Insurancejournal.com