Explosion of Pressurized Oxygen Chamber at Clinic Injures 5
Five people were injured Friday when a pressurized chamber used to treat stroke victims exploded at a medical clinic in Orange County.
Two people who were sitting in the hyperbaric chamber sustained injuries similar to the bends suffered by divers who ascend too quickly, according to Emmy Day, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Fire Department. The chamber, which is used to increase the supply of oxygen to the brain, burst under pressure.
Three others in a waiting area of the Health Restoration Center were struck by flying debris, including chunks of the heavy plastic chamber door, Day said.
“The doors and windows rattled,” said Bruce Johnson, a commercial real estate broker who works nearby. “I heard bang and thought it was a car accident. It sounded like that.”
The five injured, all in their 50s and 60s, were in stable condition at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo. Their names were not available.
Investigators had not determined what caused the chamber to burst.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
