TROY, Mich. (AP) — Tragic Oxygen Chamber Explosion Kills Child, Injures Mother

A pressurized oxygen chamber exploded on Friday, resulting in the death of a 5-year-old patient and injuries to his mother at a suburban Detroit medical facility.

The hyperbaric chamber explosion occurred around 8 a.m. at the Oxford Center in Troy, Michigan.

The child, who was from Royal Oak, Michigan, had been inside the machine and was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The mother suffered injuries to her arms as she was standing next to the chamber when the explosion occurred,” said Troy Police Lt. Ben Hancock. “We don’t yet know what the child was being treated for today.”

Understanding Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy enhances oxygen delivery by providing pure oxygen in an enclosed, high-pressure environment, according to the Mayo Clinic. It is used to treat:

Decompression sickness
Serious tissue diseases or wounds
Trapped air bubbles in blood vessels
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Tissue damage from radiation therapy

Hyperbaric chambers contain 100% oxygen, significantly higher than normal air levels. Troy Fire Lt. Keith Youngexplained that this highly concentrated oxygen in a pressurized setting increases combustibility.

“This is a rare event, and we are still investigating the cause,” Young said at a press conference.

Explosion Contained, Investigation Underway

Staff members were present in the room, but no other injuries were reported. The explosion was contained to the chamber, though a fire broke out and had to be extinguished, Young confirmed.

In an email statement, the Oxford Center acknowledged the incident, stating:

“The safety and wellbeing of the children we serve is our highest priority. In over 15 years of providing this therapy, nothing like this has ever occurred. We do not yet know how or why this happened and will fully cooperate with all investigations.”

The state authorities will now take over the investigation to determine the cause of the explosion and fire.