5-year-old boy killed in hyperbaric chamber in Troy mourned by family as GoFundMe raises over $50,000

The tragic loss of 5-year-old Thomas Cooper, killed in an explosion in a hyperbaric chamber at a medical facility in Troy, Michigan, has left a shattering sense of shock in the community. It happened on January 31, 2025, and has drawn forth waves of sorrow and tributes to support the family going through this unspeakable tragedy.

A GoFundMe campaign to help Thomas' family was also started in the wake of this tragic incident. Thus far, up to February 4, 2025, the fundraiser managed to collect more than $50,000.

The campaign's organizer, Annie Cooper, said that Thomas is a "smart, intelligent boy" his family loves and adores, adding some facts about Thomas, like, for instance, he wanted to be a chef so he could "be with mommy forever."

The campaign is a way of showing the love the family has for Thomas and the desire to honor his memory during this difficult time.

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Incident details

According to CBS News, the explosion happened just before 8 AM, at The Oxford Center on Kirts Boulevard in Troy. Emergency services responding to the scene found Thomas, deceased inside the hyperbaric chamber, while his mother, who thoroughly injured but survived the incident.

Hyperbaric chambers are equipment, used to deliver oxygen at pressures greater than those of the atmosphere according to the Mayo Clinic. This is useful for several medical conditions such as carbon monoxide poisoning, anemia, and radiation burns according to the FDA.

However, such chambers are dangerous because they contain a highly flammable environment—especially when pure oxygen is inside.

According to Troy Fire Department Lt. Keith Young,

"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."

Such explosions are rarely known to happen and the Troy Fire Department confirmed this; they announced that they are investigating this tragic incident.

No information has been given on the treatment Thomas was undergoing or whether the Oxford Center had been accredited to run the hyperbaric chamber. Investigations into the circumstances of the explosion are still ongoing, and the facility is closed indefinitely.

The family has retained Fieger Law to represent them in any potential legal actions stemming from the incident.

James Harrington, managing partner at Fieger Law, expressed condolences and emphasized the need for thorough investigations into safety protocols surrounding hyperbaric treatments.

The Oxford Center’s statement on the explosion, as quoted by CBS News, reads:

"This is an exceptionally difficult day for all of us. As law enforcement officials have shared, at our location in Troy, Michigan this morning, a fire started inside of a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. The child being treated in that chamber did not survive and the child's mother was injured.”

“The safety and wellbeing of the children we serve is our highest priority. Nothing 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."