Boy Dies in Hyerbaric Chamber Explosion

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June 11th, 2009

A 4-year-old Italian boy's family brought him to the United States to secure medical treatment not easily obtainable at home.

Instead, Francesco Martinisi's family is in mourning. He died today from injuries he sustained last month in an explosion at a hyperbaric chamber in a Lauderdale-by-the-Sea clinic.

"This is the tragic end of a very sad story that should never have happened," said Russell S. Adler, a Fort Lauderdale attorney representing Francesco's family. His bereft relatives had no comment, Adler said.

The boy's grandmother, Vincenza Pesce, 62, succumbed to her injuries a day after the May 1 blast at Ocean Hyperbaric Oxygen Neurologic Center.

Pesce had been keeping her grandson company inside a pressurized oxygen chamber, where he was getting therapy for cerebral palsy. His father had flown home to Italy to see his newborn son, Francesco's brother.

Last year the boy's family rallied neighborhood support and raised money to pay for the long journey from San Felice a Cancello, Italy, to South Florida.

He arrived in November and began therapy sessions at the clinic. Such treatment is restricted or forbidden in Italy because of the risk of fire.

The blast at the Lauderdale-by-the-Sea clinic dislodged a tube attached to a hyperbaric chamber, resulting in an explosion and flash fire, authorities said. The investigation continues.

Francesco, who suffered burns to more than 90 percent of his body, was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, which has a specialized burn unit.

Given the extent of his injuries, an unfavorable outcome was "in the air," Pasquale De Lucia, mayor of the village northeast of Naples where the Martinisi family lives, told the news media in Italy.

The Broward Sheriff's Office said the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office would soon conduct an autopsy on Francesco's body to aid the agency in its investigation.

No funeral date for the boy has been set, De Lucia said.

"We prayed that we would be able to recover the small boy," De Lucia said. "There was nothing that could be done."

Authorities with BSO's homicide unit and the State Fire Marshal are still investigating the cause of the blast.

It appears that this is the first time such a death from explosion associated with a hyperbaric oxygen chamber has occurred in the United States.

source: WSVN

Here is a release by local authorities:

‘On the 1st of May 2009, at approximately 11:29 AM, the Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a report of an EXPLOSION at 4001 North Ocean Drive in our town.

Chief Robert Perkins was the first fire officer on the scene and reported on location at 11:29:28 AM; just 1 minute and 55 seconds after the call was transmitted. Chief Perkins upon arrival was confronted with a three story commercial building with fire alarms sounding and smoke showing. The building at this stage was evacuated by the occupant, about 30-40 people. Chief Perkins immediately went into the structure located that alarm panel and determined where the alarm was activated from. This panel indicated the alarm was coming from one of the hyperbaric chambers. As Chief Perkins went into the Chamber room, he was met with heavy white smoke. Also in the room was a Sheriff’s Deputy who had a mask on. This Deputy indicated to Chief Perkins that we may have two victims inside one of the observed chambers. The Chief and Deputy Sheriff walked over to the suspect chamber, opened the chamber and observed two bodies, a young male and a middle aged female: both victims had extensive charring and burn injuries. At this point, the Chief alerted the Deputy Sheriff that he had to secure the building for immediate safety reasons. The Chief directed Inspector Paine of the VFD to turn off the oxygen, the power to the building and then the Chief gave orders to the incoming firemen and AMR ambulance personnel to begin the rescue work. One of the orders was to relocate the ambulance to the front of the building for easy regress of the victims. The Chief then returned to to the Deputy Sheriff who was standing by the occupied chamber, total time lapsed, was 1-1 1/2 minutes between initially opening the occupied chamber and his return.

Chief Perkins went back and met with the Deputy Sheriff to explain to the Deputy how they werre going to remove the victims. The Chief stated that he wanted to pick the child up first and the Deputy assisted in this action. The Chief then picked up the child and handed him the victim to the Deputy and told him to go outside the front door AMR would be located there. The Deputy Sheriff then went outside with the young child. The Chief then began to lift the female victim out of the chamber. At this time, Firefighter Silverstone and Chavez came to the Chief’s aid. The female victim was carried out with Chief Perkins holding the legs and FF Silverstone and Chavez carrying the upper body of the victim. The three fighters working together carried the woman victim outside to a waiting AMR’

BC- That is most unfortunate…due to the inconsistencies found between his narrative/press release and the CAD report time…

CAD ( Computer Automated Dispatch) is from BSO and is radio/phone communications…all times are entered during the event….

In Chief Perkins’ narrative he states…

‘On the 1st of May 2009, at approximately 11:29 AM, the Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched’

‘Chief Robert Perkins was the first fire officer on the scene and reported on location at 11:29:28 AM; just 1 minute and 55 seconds after the call was transmitted.’

The CAD Report states…(pg.1)…

Alarm Date and Time 11:27:24 Friday May 1,2009

Arrival Time 11:31:27

Chief Perkins Times…(pg. 2)…

Apparatus Dispatch Date and Time 11:29:28

Arrival Time 11:31:27

The Chief narrative he states…

‘As Chief Perkins went into the Chamber room, he was met with heavy white smoke. Also in the room was a Sheriff’s Deputy who had a mask on. This Deputy indicated to Chief Perkins that we may have two victims inside one of the observed chambers. The Chief and Deputy Sheriff walked over to the suspect chamber, opened the chamber and observed two bodies, a young male and a middle aged female: both victims had extensive charring and burn injuries. At this point, the Chief alerted the Deputy Sheriff that he had to secure the building for immediate safety reasons. The Chief directed Inspector Paine of the VFD to turn off the oxygen, the power to the building and then the Chief gave orders to the incoming firemen and AMR ambulance personnel to begin the rescue work. One of the orders was to relocate the ambulance to the front of the building for easy regress of the victims. The Chief then returned to to the Deputy Sheriff who was standing by the occupied chamber, total time lapsed, was 1-1 1/2 minutes between initially opening the occupied chamber and his return.’

In Fire Inspector Steven Piane’s narrative he states….(pg.8)…

‘Upon arrival I found that the perimeter was being set up by using crime scene tape by BSO. I met with Command and was assigned to secure the electrical and oxygen supply to the building, the electrical service was turned off at the main disconnects electrical switches, which were located in west exterior meter room. The oxygen supply to suite 100 was turned off at the in-line valve which was located just before the entrance door to suite 100. I-12 then assisted SQ12 Crew with securing a firefighting hose line for fireground operations. A joint fire investigation was performed by BSO, State Fire Marshall’s office and the Lauderdale-By-The-Sea fire depatment. For more information in reference to cause and origin reports please see respective agencies reports. At this time, the fire investigation cause has not been determined and it is under investigation and will remain open.’

The CAD report states…

Inspector Paine Times…(pg.4)…

Apparatus Dispatch Date and Time 11:36:28 Friday May1,2009

Arrival Time 11:37:13

Chief Perkins narrative states….

‘The Chief directed Inspector Paine of the VFD to turn off the oxygen, the power to the building and then the Chief gave orders to the incoming firemen and AMR ambulance personnel to begin the rescue work. One of the orders was to relocate the ambulance to the front of the building for easy regress of the victims. The Chief then returned to to the Deputy Sheriff who was standing by the occupied chamber, total time lapsed, was 1-1 1/2 minutes between initially opening the occupied chamber and his return.’