A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded at a Michigan medical facility when a hyperbaric oxygen chamber erupted in flames, trapping 5-year-old Thomas Cooper inside as his mother, Annie Cooper, desperately tried to save him.

On January 31, young Thomas was undergoing treatment at the Oxford Center in Troy for sleep apnea and ADHD when the devastating incident occurred. The alternative medical facility claims to treat a range of conditions with hyperbaric oxygen therapy—though the FDA does not approve the treatment for such cases.

A Mother’s Worst Nightmare

James Harrington, the family’s lawyer, described Annie’s pain: “She was trying to help her child, as any good parent would. But what was supposed to be a treatment ended in an unimaginable horror.”

The Troy Fire Department responded to an emergency call at 7:54 a.m., where they found the hyperbaric chamber had exploded with Thomas inside. Officials confirmed that these chambers contain 100% oxygen in a pressurized space, making them highly combustiblε.

Annie, who was standing nearby, suffered burns on her arm in her frantic attempt to free her son. “She tried and tried to get him out,” Harrington said. “But she was unsuccessful.”

Remembering Thomas

A GoFundMe campaign describes Thomas as a bright, loving child who “wanted to grow up to be a chef so he could be with mommy forever.” His mother’s heartbreaking loss has left an entire community in mourning.

The Oxford Center has since released a statement expressing shock, insisting that such an incident has never happened before in their 15 years of operation. Meanwhile, Thomas’s devastated family is preparing to take legal action, determined to prevent another tragedy like this from ever happening again.

Rest in peace, Thomas. Please share your condolences for the family below.