Incubator fire badly burns Minn. newborn

[DeclinetoState]

By ELIZABETH DUNBAR, Associated Press Writer
Thu Jan 24, 12:10 AM ET

<!-- end storyhdr -->MINNEAPOLIS - Oxygen ignited inside a special hood worn by a newborn infant in a hospital, burning the boy's head and face and leaving him in critical condition.

The newborn was lying in an open-topped bassinet under a warmer at Mercy Hospital in suburban Coon Rapids on Tuesday when the accident happened, Allina Hospital and Clinics said in a statement.

The baby was wearing an oxygen hood, a device that fits over the face to supply additional oxygen, when something caused the gas to ignite, the statement read.
More (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080124/ap_on_re_us/newborn_incubator_fire;_ylt=AqREyfyA0PDcdYYNmBwN_0 GKOrgF)

[BuckeyeMike]

Poor lad....havin' a damn tough time just gettin' started in this cruel assed world.

[DoctorDoom]

I'd question what was in the mask, since oxygen itself doesn't burn.

[Venus de Smilo]

NO! This is horrible! :sad:

[Incident_command]

I'd question what was in the mask, since oxygen itself doesn't burn.


No but it does greatly support combustion when used in a high concentraion form such as the high flow O2 that is used in medical treatments like this. An ignition source that may normally only cause a spark at the normal O2 concentration of 17-18 %, can be explosive when fueled by high pressure 100 % O2.

Add to that it wasn't a mask but more of a tent. I would first ask what other equipment was inside the tent that may have caused the ignition supported by the 100% O2