Tragedy in US hospital

Boy (5) killed in oxygen chamber explosion

Thomas Cooper was only five years old.(Bild: gofundme.com)

A terrible tragedy near the US city of Detroit (Michigan): During an oxygen treatment in a hospital, an explosion occurred in the pressure chamber - an eight-year-old boy died in the accident. 

It was actually just a routine treatment that five-year-old Thomas Cooper was supposed to undergo last Friday at the Oxford Medical Center in Troy. He was supposed to breathe in almost 100 percent oxygen in the pressure chamber. But something went very wrong during the treatment. An explosion occurred while the oxygen was being introduced into the capsule.

Hospital cannot explain fatal incident
The young patient in the pressure chamber is killed in front of his mother - she herself suffers injuries to her arms in the accident. The hospital cannot explain the incident: "Something like this has never happened in the more than 15 years that we have been offering this type of therapy. We do not know why or how it happened and will participate in all investigations that must now take place," it said in a statement.

To help with the financial costs following Thomas' tragic death, his family has set up a fundraising campaign on the Gofundme.com platform. "He was the very best boy there ever was", his relatives mourn the deceased. He would have loved to spend his time running, swimming, singing, playing video games and being outdoors. 

Oxygen therapy is used to treat diving accidents and other health problems such as carbon monoxide poisoning. The increased air pressure in the chamber allows the lungs to absorb more oxygen. This allows more oxygen to reach the tissue, which can help heal and fight certain infections.