TROY, Mich. — A 5-year-old boy from Royal Oak died Friday morning after a hyperbaric chamber exploded inside a medical facility in Troy, authorities said.
Emergency crews responded to the scene at 165 Kirts Boulevard at 7:54 a.m. after receiving reports of an explosion with a child inside the chamber. Upon arrival, first responders determined that the child had not survived.
A hyperbaric chamber contains 100 percent oxygen, which is up to three times the amount found in a normal room. The highly pressurized environment can make the chamber extremely combustible, officials said.
Authorities described the incident as uncommon and said the scene remains under active investigation. Social workers from the Oakland Community Health Network have been made available to assist emergency responders and medical staff.
Police Lt. Ben Hancock and Fire Lt. Keith Young provided details of the explosion during a 10:30 a.m. press conference at the Troy Police Department, where Police Chief Joshua Jones and Fire Chief Pete Hullinger were also present.
Officials are continuing to investigate the cause of the explosion that claimed the life of the young child.
A GoFundMe campaign has been setup for the family.
