Associated Press
TROY, Mich. 鈥� A pressurized oxygen chamber exploded Friday, killing a 5-year-old patient and injuring his mother at a suburban Detroit medical facility.
The hyperbaric chamber explosion occurred about 8 a.m. at the Oxford Center in Troy, north of Detroit.
The child, from Royal Oak, Michigan, had been inside the machine and was pronounced dead at the scene.
鈥淭he mother of the child suffered some injuries to her arms as she was standing right next to the chamber as the explosion occurred,鈥� Troy police Lt. Ben Hancock said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 know exactly what the child was being treated for at the center today.鈥�
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases the delivery of oxygen to a person鈥檚 body by providing pure oxygen in an enclosed space with higher than normal air pressure, .
The Mayo Clinic says the therapy includes treatment for decompression sickness, serious tissue disease or wounds, trapped air bubbles in blood vessels, carbon monoxide poisoning, and tissue damage from radiation therapy.
Hyperbaric chambers contain 100% oxygen, which is up to five times the amount of oxygen in a normal room, Troy Fire Lt. Keith Young said Friday at a news conference.
鈥淭he presence of such a high amount of oxygen in a pressurized environment can make it extremely combustible,鈥� Young said. 鈥淲e did some initial investigation. This is very uncommon, so we鈥檙e not sure what led up to it.鈥�
Staff from the center also were in the room, but no other injuries were reported.
The explosion was contained to the chamber. A fire in the room had to be put out, Young said.
The Oxford Center said in an email that a fire started inside the hyperbaric oxygen chamber.
鈥淭he safety and well-being of the children we serve is our highest priority,鈥� the center said. 鈥淣othing like this has happened in our more than 15 years of providing this type of therapy. We do not know why or how this happened and will participate in all of the investigations that now need to take place.鈥�
The investigation into the explosion and fire will be turned over to the state, Young said.
