Boy, 5, dies in hyperbarkamamammer explosion at Michigan Medical Facility

Troy, Mich. (AP) -A oxygen chamber under pressure exploded on Friday, killed a 5-year-old patient and injured his mother in a suburban Detroit Medical Facility.

The hyperbaric chamber explosion took place around 1 p.m. 8 at the Oxford Center in Troy, north of Detroit.

The child from Royal Oak, Michigan, had been inside the machine and was declared dead on stage.

“The child’s mother suffered some damage to her arms as she stood right next to the chamber when the explosion took place,” said Troy Police Lt. Ben Hancock. “We don’t know exactly what the child was treated at the center today.”

Hyperbar oxygen treatment increases the delivery of oxygen to a person’s body by providing pure oxygen in a closed space with higher than normal air pressure, According to the Mayo Clinic.

The Mayo Clinic says the therapy includes the treatment of decompression disease, severe tissue disease or wounds, caught 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 four LT. said Keith Young Friday at a news conference.

“The presence of such a large amount of oxygen in an oppression environment can make it extremely combustible,” said Young. “We did an initial investigation. This is very unusual, so we are not sure what led up to it. “

Staff from the center were also in the room, but no other injuries were reported.

The explosion was contained in the chamber. A fire in the room had to be put out, Young said.

The Oxford Center said in an E email that a fire started inside the hyperbar oxygen chamber.

“The safety and well -being of the children we earn is our highest priority,” the center said. “Nothing like this has happened in our more than 15 years of giving this type of therapy. We do not know why or how this happened and will participate in all the studies that will now take place. “

The investigation of the explosion and fire will be transferred to the state, Young said.