Family of boy killed in hyperbaric chamber explosion at Troy medical center retains attorney
Troy, MICH (Fox 2) - The family of Thomas Cooper, 5, who was killed Friday morning in an explosion at a Troy medical center, has retained Fieger Law for any potential legal cases that will stem from the incident.
The mother of the boy, who sustained injuries from the explosion, is also being represented by Fieger Law.
"This is an unimaginable tragedy, and our hearts are with the family as they navigate this immeasurable loss," said James Harrington, Managing Partner of Fieger Law. "We ask that the public and media respect the family’s privacy at this time. We are investigating every aspect of this matter and will report our findings in due time. The safety of children should always be the top priority, and this incident raises serious concerns about hyperbaric chambers and the oversight and regulation of hyperbaric treatments."
Fire and police officials said the boy died after a hyperbaric chamber blew up at a center on Kirts Boulevard.
What we know:
Units from the Troy fire and police departments responded to 165 Kirts Blvd in Troy around 8 a.m. Friday morning following reports of an explosion.
A 5-year-old boy was killed after a hyperbaric chamber blew up inside the building. His mom, who was next to the chamber at the time, also suffered injuries to her arms.
The deceased was a resident of Royal Oak.
Upon arrival, fire officials dealt with a fire inside the chamber. It was contained to the room. Medical staff also at the building were not injured in the explosion.
"Shortly after 8 a.m. this morning, Troy Fire and Police Department responded to a medical facility at 165 Kirts Boulevard for a report of a hyperbaric chamber explosion with a child still inside the chamber," said fire Lt. Keith Young on Friday.
What we don't know:
Police only had preliminary information and did not know what was the cause of the explosion.
It's also unclear what the child was being treated for while in the chamber.
Officials are still working to confirm what accreditation the center had and whether it was allowed to operate a hyperbaric chamber.
What's next:
Social workers from the Oakland Community Health Network will be available to work with emergency personnel who responded to the scene, as well as medical staff at the facility.
Because the state oversees these centers, the investigation will involve multiple jurisdictions, Young said.
What is a hyperbaric chamber?
Dig deeper:
A hyperbaric chamber is a pressurized room or container that has 100% oxygen inside.
According to the Mayo Clinic, patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy use it to treat a condition called decompression sickness, which occurs due to rapid drops in the surrounding pressure.
The goal is to get more oxygen to tissue in the body that's been damaged by disease or injury.
In a hyperbaric chamber, the air pressure is increased two to three times higher than normal air pressure. That way, lungs can receive more oxygen, which can enhance new growth of blood vessels and boost one's immune system.
Because the chamber is pressurized, it can become highly combustible.
"A hyperbaric chamber contains 100% oxygen, which is up to five times the amount of oxygen in a normal room. The presence of such a high amount of oxygen in a pressurized environment can make it extremely combustible," Young said.
He added these kinds of explosions are extremely uncommon.